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author: nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> 2025-03-03 05:17:53 -0800
committer: nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> 2025-03-03 05:17:53 -0800
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+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 37413 ***</div>
+<div class="document" id="the-duke-decides">
+<h1 class="document-title level-1 pfirst title">THE DUKE DECIDES</h1>
+</div>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<div class="container" id="pg-produced-by">
+<p class="noindent pfirst">Produced by Darleen Dove, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at <a class="reference external" href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>.</p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
+</div>
+<p class="noindent pnext">This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 28%; width: 44%" id="figure-6">
+<img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="images/cover.jpg" src="images/cover.jpg" width="100%"/>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost x-large">
+<div class="line">THE DUKE DECIDES</div>
+<div class="line">By HEADON HILL</div>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small">
+<div class="line">Author of <em class="italics">By a Hair's-Breadth</em>, etc.</div>
+</div>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 43%; width: 13%">
+<img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="images/tpdeco.jpg" src="images/tpdeco.jpg" width="100%"/>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small">
+<div class="line"><em class="italics">New York</em></div>
+<div class="line">A. WESSELS COMPANY</div>
+<div class="line">1904</div>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small">
+<div class="line">Copyright, 1903, by <span class="small-caps">A. Wessels Company</span></div>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small">
+<div class="line">Published, 1903</div>
+</div>
+<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small">
+<div class="line">PRESS OF</div>
+<div class="line">BRAUNWORTH &amp; CO.</div>
+<div class="line">BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS</div>
+<div class="line">BROOKLYN, N. Y.</div>
+</div>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 32%; width: 35%" id="figure-7">
+<span id="leonie-sherman"/><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Leonie Sherman" src="images/illus1.jpg" width="100%"/>
+<div class="caption italics">
+Leonie Sherman</div>
+</div>
+<hr class="docutils"/>
+<div class="contents level-2 section" id="id1">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title">CONTENTS</h2>
+<ul class="compact simple toc-list">
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-ithe-man-with-the-mandate" id="id2">CHAPTER I—<em class="italics">The Man with the Mandate</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-iion-board-the-st-paul" id="id3">CHAPTER II—<em class="italics">On Board the</em> St. Paul</a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-iiia-task-master-in-goggles" id="id4">CHAPTER III—<em class="italics">A Task-master in Goggles</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-ivthe-lady-in-the-landau" id="id5">CHAPTER IV—<em class="italics">The Lady in the Landau</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-vziegler-begins-to-move" id="id6">CHAPTER V—<em class="italics">Ziegler Begins to Move</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-vithe-general-is-curious" id="id7">CHAPTER VI—<em class="italics">The General is Curious</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-viithe-men-on-the-stairs" id="id8">CHAPTER VII—<em class="italics">The Men on the Stairs</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-viiithe-cut-panel" id="id9">CHAPTER VIII—<em class="italics">The Cut Panel</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-ixthe-strategy-of-the-general" id="id10">CHAPTER IX—<em class="italics">The Strategy of the General</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xa-duty-call" id="id11">CHAPTER X—<em class="italics">A Duty Call</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xion-the-terrace" id="id12">CHAPTER XI—<em class="italics">On the Terrace</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xiithe-man-under-the-seat" id="id13">CHAPTER XII—<em class="italics">The Man Under the Seat</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xiiiat-the-keeper-s-cottage" id="id14">CHAPTER XIII—<em class="italics">At the Keeper's Cottage</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xivtoo-many-women" id="id15">CHAPTER XIV—<em class="italics">Too Many Women</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xva-new-cure-for-headache" id="id16">CHAPTER XV—<em class="italics">A New Cure for Headache</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xvia-delicate-mission" id="id17">CHAPTER XVI—<em class="italics">A Delicate Mission</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xviiwhere-is-the-duke" id="id18">CHAPTER XVII—<em class="italics">Where is the Duke?</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xviiithe-senator-and-the-securities" id="id19">CHAPTER XVIII—<em class="italics">The Senator and the Securities</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xixin-the-crypt" id="id20">CHAPTER XIX—<em class="italics">In the Crypt</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xxin-the-muniment-room" id="id21">CHAPTER XX—<em class="italics">In the Muniment Room</em></a></span></li>
+<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><span class="first"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#chapter-xxithe-honor-of-the-house" id="id22">CHAPTER XXI—<em class="italics">The Honor of the House</em></a></span></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</p>
+<blockquote><div>
+<div class="line-block outermost">
+<div class="line"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#leonie-sherman">Leonie Sherman</a></div>
+<div class="line"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#a-countrywoman-of-yours-i-wonder-if-you-know-her">A countrywoman of yours. I wonder if you know her?</a></div>
+<div class="line"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#the-procession-of-three-led-by-the-stranger">The procession of three led by the stranger.</a></div>
+<div class="line"><a class="reference internal pginternal" href="#i-am-very-far-from-being-indifferent-to-mrs-talmage-eglinton">I am very far from being indifferent to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton.</a></div>
+</div>
+</div></blockquote>
+<hr class="docutils"/>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ithe-man-with-the-mandate">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id2">CHAPTER I—<em class="italics">The Man with the Mandate</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">At six o'clock on a May evening, at an
+uptown corner of Broadway, in New
+York City, the bowels of the earth opened and
+disgorged a crowd of weary-faced men and
+women who scattered in all directions. They
+were the employees of a huge "dry-goods
+store," leaving work for the day. It was a
+stringent rule of the firm that everyone drawing
+wages, from the smart managers of departments
+and well-dressed salesladies down to the
+counting-house drudges and check-boys, should
+descend into the basement, and there file past
+the timekeeper and a private detective before
+passing up a narrow staircase, and so out by a
+sort of stage-door into the side street.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The great plate-glass portals on the main
+thoroughfare were not for the working bees of
+this hive of industry—only for the gay butterflies
+of fashion by whom they lived.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The last to come out was a young man
+dressed in a threadbare suit of tweeds, that
+somehow hardly seemed American, either in cut
+or fabric. There might have been a far-away
+reminiscence of Perthshire moors clinging to
+them, or earlier memories of a famous creator
+in Bond Street; but suggestion of the reach-me-down
+shops from which New York clerks
+clothe themselves there was none. A flush of
+anger was fading on their owner's face as he
+came out into the sunlight, leaving a mild annoyance
+that presently gave place to a grin.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The firm's detective, rendered suspicious by
+a bulging pocket, had just searched him, and
+had failed to apologize on finding the protuberance
+to be nothing but a bundle of un-eatable
+sandwiches that were being taken home
+to confound the landlady of the young man's
+cheap boarding-house.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The indignity did not rankle long. It was
+only a detail in the topsy-turvydom that in one
+short year had changed a subaltern in a crack
+English cavalry regiment into an ill-paid
+drudge in a dry-goods store. Twelve months
+before Charles Hanbury had been playing
+polo and riding gymkhana races in Upper India,
+but extravagance beyond his means had
+brought swift ruin in its train. Tired of helping him out of scrapes, his connections had refused
+further assistance; and, leaving the
+Army, he had come out to "the States" with
+the idea of roughing it on the Western plains.
+Still misfortune had dogged his steps. A fall
+down a hatchway on the voyage out had hopelessly
+lamed him, and he had been compelled
+to ward off starvation by obtaining his present
+inglorious berth.</p>
+<p class="pnext">His work—adding up columns of figures
+entered from the sales-tickets—was quite irresponsible,
+and he was paid accordingly. He
+drew eight dollars a week, of which five went
+to his boarding-house keeper.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Limping up —— Street, he turned into the
+Bowery, intending to take his usual homeward
+route across the big bridge into Brooklyn.
+Unable to afford a street-car, he walked to and
+from the store daily, and it was one of his few
+amusements to study the cosmopolitan life of
+the teeming and sordid thoroughfare through
+which his way led.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He was still chuckling over the discomfiture
+of the tame detective, when his eye was caught
+by a label in a cheap boot-store. "Three dollars
+the pair," ran the legend, which drew a
+rueful sigh from one who had paid—and alas!
+still owed—as many guineas for a pair of dancing-pumps.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't suppose they'd sell me half a
+pair, for that's all it runs to," he muttered,
+turning regretfully away from the vamped-up
+frauds, and in so doing jerking the elbow
+of a passer-by. The victim of his sudden
+move—a stout, fair man in a light frock-coat
+and a Panama straw hat—stopped, and seemed
+inclined to resent the awkwardness.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I really beg your pardon," the culprit said
+with easy politeness. "I was so absorbed in
+my reflections that I forgot for the moment
+that the Bowery requires cautious steering."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are an Englishman?" returned the
+other, with a milder countenance. "So am I.
+No need to apologize. As a fellow-countryman
+in foreign parts, permit me to offer you
+some liquid refreshment. In other words, come
+into that dive next door and have a drink."</p>
+<p class="pnext">With an imperceptible shrug, Mr. Hanbury
+allowed himself to be persuaded. He
+would lose his supper at his boarding-house by
+the irregularity, but dissipation seldom came
+his way nowadays, and the prospect of whisky
+at some one else's expense was tempting. Yes,
+he had fallen low enough for that! The stout
+Englishman somehow conveyed the impression
+that he would not expect to be treated in return
+by his new acquaintance, who was prepared
+to take advantage of his liberality. To
+do him justice, Hanbury's complacence was
+not entirely due to spirituous longings, but to
+a homesick instinct aroused by the Cockney
+accent of the vulgar stranger.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The garish underground saloon into which
+they descended was almost empty at that early
+hour of the evening. Drinks having been set
+before them at one of the circular tables, the
+host subjected his guest to a scrutiny so
+searching that its object broke into a laugh.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are sizing me up pretty closely," he
+remarked, with a touch of annoyance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Exactly; but not so as to give offence, I
+hope," was the reply. "I should like to know
+your name, if you have no objection."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Hanbury—Charles Hanbury. Perhaps
+you will make the introduction mutual?" said
+the younger man, appeased by the other's conciliatory
+manner.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Call me Jevons," the stout man answered.
+"Now look here, Mr. Hanbury; it's not my
+game to begin our acquaintance under false
+pretences. The fact is, I contrived that you
+should jostle me just now, and so give me a
+chance to speak. I spotted you as an Englishman
+and a gentleman a fortnight ago, and
+I've noticed you pass along the Bowery every
+day since. I am in need of an Englishman,
+who is also a gentleman, to take on a job with
+a fortune—a moderate fortune—at the back
+of it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You can hardly have mistaken me for an
+investor," said Hanbury, with a quizzical
+glance at his threadbare seams and dilapidated
+boots. "Believe me, I am a very broken-down
+gentleman; but still, my gentility survives, I
+suppose, and I am willing to treat it as a commercial
+asset, if that is what you mean."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mr. Jevons gulped down his liquor without
+comment and did not utter another word till
+the glasses had been replenished. Then, hitching
+his chair closer, he produced a pocket-book
+from which he extracted five one-hundred-dollar
+notes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Before we leave this place I shall hand
+these over to you for preliminary expenses—if
+we come to terms," he said, watching the
+effect of the display on his companion's face.
+Satisfied with the eager glance in the tired
+eyes, he proceeded more confidentially: "There
+is a risk to be run, but it doesn't amount to
+much; and if the scheme comes off it will set
+you on your legs again. Part of this money
+you will have to spend in a first-class passage
+to England by the next steamer, and there'll
+be plenty more for you on arrival."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear friend, you seem to be a sort of
+Aladdin. If you only knew the existence I
+have been leading here, without the courage to
+terminate it, you would be assured of my
+answer," replied Hanbury, wondering but not
+caring much what was expected of him. To
+escape from his dry-goods drudgery and
+return to England with money in his pocket
+and the prospect of more—why, the ex-cavalry
+officer felt that he would loot the Crown Jewels
+for that! And he said so in so many words.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then you're the man for us," was the verdict
+of Mr. Jevons. "It's a bit on the cross—not
+burglary, but a little matter of planting
+some beautifully imitated paper. Is that too
+steep for you?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Hanbury made a wry face, but answered
+without hesitation:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Aiding a forgery isn't quite the road to
+fortune I should have chosen, but beggars—you
+know the maxim. Society hasn't been too
+kind to me, and I don't see why I should range
+myself on its side. Yes, I'll do it; and if I'm
+caught, stone-breaking at Portland won't be
+any worse than adding up figures in a subterranean
+counting-house. Let me have the particulars,
+Mr. Jevons, and I'll see it through
+to the best of an ability that hasn't much to
+recommend it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You shall have the particulars," said the
+other; then stopped, and laughed rather nervously.
+"You must understand that I am but
+a subordinate in this matter, and we have
+reached the only unpleasant part of my task,"
+he went on. "It is not congenial to have to
+use a threat—even a confidential one; yet I
+am instructed to do so, before I enlighten you
+further."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The rascal's concern was unmistakably
+genuine; and Hanbury, with the good-humored
+tolerance of his class, hastened to
+reassure him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Go on; I can guess what you have to disclose—the
+pains and penalties for breach of
+faith, eh?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Jevons nodded, and bent his shiny, perspiring
+face nearer. "It is a big thing, involving
+enormous outlay and the interests of an organization commanding great resources," he
+whispered. "Your life wouldn't be worth five
+minutes' purchase if you deserted us after you
+had been entrusted with the details. Now, will
+you have them on those conditions, or shall we
+say 'Good-night' to each other?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Hanbury stretched out his hand impatiently
+for the notes. "Pray satisfy my curiosity, and
+let me have them on those conditions," he said.
+"My life is of no earthly value to me. Besides,
+with all my faults, I'm not one to turn back
+after putting my hand to the plough. If I do,
+by all means give me my quietus as mercifully
+as may be."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then here goes," whispered Jevons, mouth
+to ear. "The game is the planting of faked
+United States Treasury Bonds on the Bank of
+England to the tune of three million sterling—pounds,
+not dollars, you know. You will proceed
+to England by the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em>, sailing for
+Southampton the day after to-morrow, and on
+arrival in London you will at once call on Mr.
+Clinton Ziegler, at the Hotel Cecil. He is our
+chief, and will give you final instructions as to
+your part in the campaign. You'll find him a
+handsome paymaster."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I look forward to making Mr. Ziegler's acquaintance with interest," replied Hanbury,
+pocketing the notes which the other passed to
+him. "Am I to have the pleasure of your company
+on the voyage?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'm afraid not; my work is here," said
+Jevons. "And—well, it's not altogether
+healthy for me on the other side." The confession
+was accompanied by a wink which forcibly
+brought it home to the recruit that he had
+joined the criminal classes. His new friend—"pal,"
+he supposed he ought to call him—evidently
+thought him worthy of personal confidence.</p>
+<p class="pnext">They had another drink together at the bar,
+and parted outside the saloon, Hanbury making
+his belated way towards Brooklyn. Once
+or twice he turned abruptly to see if he was
+being followed, but the aggressive white
+Panama hat was nowhere visible, the conclusion
+being obvious that the astute Mr. Jevons
+had ascertained his domicile, as well as his place
+of employment, before broaching his delicate
+business.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Tramping along the teeming Bowery and
+across the footway of the mighty bridge, the
+ex-hussar enjoyed to the full the exultation
+of feeling money in his pocket once more. It
+was not much, and it was as good as spent
+already in the cost of a passage and an outfit;
+but it was the earnest of more to come, and,
+above all, it franked the exile home to England.
+At the price of his honor, perhaps?
+Well, yes; but what was honor to a dry-goods
+clerk at eight dollars a week? He might have
+taken a different view two years ago, when
+honor stood for something in his creed; but not
+now, with the world against him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Entering the sordid boarding-house, he
+mounted to his top-floor bedroom, aware that
+he had forfeited his supper of beef-hash, and
+that it was too late to go to the dining-room in
+quest thereof. His eyrie under the roof,
+flanked on one side by the apartment of a German
+car-driver and on the other by that of an
+Irish porter, was furnished with little else than
+a bed and a toilet-table.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On the toilet-table lay a telegram addressed
+to him—the first he had received since he had
+been in America. The unwonted sight caused
+his hands to tremble a little as he tore it open,
+but they trembled a good deal more as he read
+the fateful words:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">Your uncle and cousin have been killed in
+a railway accident. Come to England at once.
+Have cabled a thousand pounds to Morgan's
+to your credit.—Pattisons.</em>"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Pattisons" were the family solicitors, and
+he who a moment before had called himself
+Charles Hanbury now knew that his true description
+would appear in the next issue of
+"Debrett" as "Charles Augustus Trevor Fitzroy
+Hanbury, seventh Duke of Beaumanoir,"
+with a rent-roll of two hundred thousand a
+year.</p>
+<p class="pnext">And he stood committed, on pain of assassination,
+to aid and abet in the palming off of
+bogus bonds on the Bank of England!</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iion-board-the-st-paul">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id3">CHAPTER II—<em class="italics">On Board the</em> St. Paul</a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The <em class="italics">St. Paul</em> sped eastwards across the
+summer sea, and surely of all the human hopes
+and fears carried by the great liner those
+locked in the breast of the new Duke were the
+most momentous. To gain a little breathing
+time, he had booked his passage as plain
+Charles Hanbury. In the brief interval before
+sailing he had seen no more of Jevons, but
+he guessed that that shrewd practitioner would
+have watched him, or had him watched, on
+board, even if there was not a spy upon him
+among his fellow-passengers; and he wished
+to let it be inferred that his voyage was undertaken
+solely in observance of the compact
+made in the Bowery dive.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For as yet he was by no means certain of
+his attitude towards that compact. It was true
+that the cast-off wastrel of two days ago was
+now one of the premier peers of England,
+hastening home to take possession of his fortune
+and estates. But where was the good of
+being a duke if you were to be a dead duke?
+he argued with a cynicism bred of his misfortunes
+rather than innate. There had been a
+genuine ring about the proposal of Jevons that
+left no doubt as to the reality of the menace
+held out; the man's reluctance in broaching
+the penalty of desertion carried conviction that
+it was no mere flower of speech.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On the whole, the Duke was inclined to call
+on the arch rogue at the Hotel Cecil before incurring
+a risk that might render his dukedom
+a transitory possession. Then, if the part he
+was expected to play proved to be within his
+powers and without much chance of detection,
+he might still elect to play it, and so enjoy in
+security his hereditary privileges.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It will be seen that the seventh Duke of
+Beaumanoir was not troubled with moral scruples,
+and that the principle of <em class="italics">noblesse oblige</em>
+had no place as yet in his somewhat seared
+philosophy. It was enough for the moment
+that he had gained something worth having
+and keeping, and he meant to have it and keep
+it by the most efficacious method. Whether
+that method would prove to be connivance in a
+gigantic crime or the denouncement of the latter
+to Scotland Yard could only be decided by
+a personal interview with the mysterious Ziegler.
+Yes, he would pay that visit to the Hotel
+Cecil, at any rate, and be guided by what
+passed there as to his future course of action.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A penny for your thoughts, Mr. Hanbury,"
+said a gay voice at his elbow, as on the
+third day of the voyage he leaned over the rail
+of the promenade deck and ruminated on his
+dilemma. Wheeling round he looked down
+into the laughing eyes of a girl, a very dainty
+and charming girl, who sat next him at the
+saloon table. No formal introduction had
+taken place between them, for lack of mutual
+friends; but he had learned from the card
+designating her place at table that she was
+Miss Leonie Sherman, and it is to be presumed
+that she had gathered his name in the same
+way.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I will earn that penny," he said with mock
+gravity. "I was debating how far one might
+legitimately carry the principle of doing evil
+that good might come."</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was a strange answer to make to a shipboard
+acquaintance of three days, and Miss
+Sherman regarded him with a newly awakened
+interest.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It depends," she said, "whether the good
+is to accrue to yourself or to other people."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh, to myself," he replied, smiling. "I am
+not a philanthropist—quite the other way
+about."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then, whatever it is, you oughtn't to do it,"
+said the girl, decidedly. "It will be horrid of
+you to as much as contemplate anything of the
+kind. You had much better do good lest evil
+befall; and the opportunity occurs right here,
+at this very moment."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shall be most happy—without prejudice
+to my intentions as to the reverse of the
+medal," said Beaumanoir, lightly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then help me to avoid a lecture from my
+mother by taking me for a promenade," proceeded
+Leonie, indicating a portly lady who
+had ascended from the lower deck and was
+peering about in search. "She is the best and
+dearest of mothers, but she has set her heart on
+a vain thing, and it is becoming the least bit
+tiresome. I can see that she is going to din it
+into me again, if she catches me. Her idea
+is that the sole duty of an American girl going
+to England is to 'spread herself,' as they say
+out West, to marry an English duke."</p>
+<p class="pnext">His Grace of Beaumanoir listened with an
+unmoved countenance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes," he said, "to marry a duke might—probably
+would—be an unmitigated evil. I
+will help you to avoid it with pleasure. Let
+us walk by all means, Miss Sherman, if you
+don't mind my awkward limp."</p>
+<p class="pnext">So they joined the procession of promenaders,
+and there and then cemented a friendship
+which ripened quickly, as friendships between
+the opposite sexes do at sea. The
+haughty salesladies of the dry-goods store had
+not deigned to notice the counting-house
+drudge, and Leonie's piquant beauty made
+instant captive of one who had been deprived
+of the society of women for over a year. She
+had all the frank <em class="italics">camaraderie</em> of the well-bred
+American, and her eager anticipations of the
+good time she was to have in Europe were infectious.
+In her company Beaumanoir was
+able to forget the dark shadow hanging over
+him, and to give himself up to the enjoyment
+of the hour. He began by being deeply grateful
+to her for taking him out of himself; and
+gratitude to a charming girl with a ravishing
+figure and a complexion of tinted ivory is like
+to have its heels trod by a warmer sentiment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Leonie, in her turn, was interested in the
+reserved young Englishman, who had so little
+to say about his doings in America, and less
+about his position and prospects in his native
+land. As he paced with his slight limp at her
+side or lounged with her at the rail, she tried
+to draw him out; but she could get nothing
+from him but that he had been in New York
+on business, and that business was taking him
+home. Yet, though reticent on his own affairs,
+he talked freely about all that concerned herself,
+and painted vivid word-pictures of the
+delights that awaited her in London.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The girl, having nothing to conceal, told
+him freely of herself and of her plans and
+projects. She and her mother were going to
+stay with English friends in London till the
+end of the season, when perhaps they would
+run over to Paris and Rome for a month before
+returning to America in the autumn. Her
+father, Senator Sherman, was to have accompanied
+them; but he had been detained by public
+business at Washington, and was to join
+them a little later in London.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On the fifth day of the voyage, as the <em class="italics">St.
+Paul</em> was approaching the Irish coast, Leonie
+and Beaumanoir were sitting on deck after
+dinner, chatting in the twilight, when she suddenly
+laid her hand on his arm.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I want you to notice that man who has just
+gone by—the one smoking the fag-end of a
+cigar in a holder," she whispered, with a gesture
+towards the stream of passengers passing
+and repassing between the rows of chairs.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir's gaze followed her indication
+to an insignificant little figure in a brown
+covert-coat and tweed cap.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes. What of him?" he asked. He had
+not spoken to this passenger, but now that
+attention was called to him he had an idea that
+the fellow had loomed largely during the last
+few days.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That man is watching you, Mr. Hanbury,"
+replied Leonie with conviction. "I wonder
+you haven't observed it yourself. Whenever
+you are talking he hangs about trying to listen;
+when you are on deck he is on deck; if you go
+below, he goes below. If you were a fugitive
+from justice, and he a detective, he couldn't
+shadow you more closely."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke winced inwardly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am not a fugitive from justice," he said,
+with the mental addition of "yet." He could
+not tell this laughing maiden that the man was
+probably spying on him in the interest, not of
+justice, but of crime—to see that he was true to
+a pledge to place forged bonds; for now that
+he had been put on his guard he had no doubt
+that his pretty informant was right. The
+stranger occupied the cabin next to him, and
+was always hovering near him in the smoking-room,
+unobtrusively but persistently.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Thanking the girl for her warning in a careless
+tone that implied that he had no reason
+to be anxious, he changed the subject. But
+before he turned in that night he made it his
+business to ascertain from his bedroom steward
+the name of his next-door neighbor, which
+proved to be Marker.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Probably Mr. Marker's functions are confined
+to espionage. If that is a sample of the
+sort of bravo to be employed should I kick
+over the traces, I haven't much to fear," he
+reflected, as he switched off the electric light
+and composed himself to dream of Leonie
+Sherman.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iiia-task-master-in-goggles">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id4">CHAPTER III—<em class="italics">A Task-master in Goggles</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The next morning the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em> arrived at
+Southampton, but Beaumanoir contrived to
+secure a seat in the same compartment of the
+boat-train, and his parting with his new friends
+was therefore deferred till they reached
+Waterloo.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He was sorely tempted to enlist the elder
+lady's favor by making known his proper style
+and rank; though, to do her justice, Mrs. Sherman's
+fondness for the peerage was largely a
+humorous fiction on her daughter's part. The
+Senator's wife was really a simple-minded
+body, with an abiding admiration for the unattainable,
+and the British aristocracy was naturally
+included in that category.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the sight of Mr. Marker's covert-coat
+hovering near them on the arrival platform
+checked the Duke's intention, which the next
+moment was rendered unnecessary by Mrs.
+Sherman herself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come and see us, Mr. Hanbury," she
+said, extending the tips of her fingers in farewell.
+"We are to be the guests of some good
+friends of ours at 140 Grosvenor Gardens, and
+we know them well enough to make ourselves
+at home. The Senator will be over in a week
+or two, and he'll be glad to thank you for your
+politeness."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I will pay my respects without fail," Beaumanoir
+responded; and a minute later, after a
+warmer pressure of Leonie's well-gloved hand,
+he stood watching their cab with its load of
+"saratogas" drive down the incline. By the
+void in his heart he knew that the girl in the
+coquettish toque, who had just repeated her
+mother's invitation with her eyes, was all the
+world to him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He turned to look after his scanty baggage
+with a sigh. How different it would all have
+been if he had chosen some other route to his
+Brooklyn boarding-house on the eventful night
+when the plausible Jevons had waylaid him!
+All would have been plain sailing, and he could
+have asked Leonie with a clear conscience to
+share his new-found honors and wealth. As
+it was he stood committed to a felonious enterprise
+which would fill her with contempt and
+loathing did she know of it; though, if he abandoned it, instinct told him he was a doomed
+man.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The sight of the insignificant spy Marker
+lurking behind a pile of luggage reminded him
+that his peril might commence at any moment
+if he showed any sign of inconstancy to his
+pledge. Not that he anticipated trouble from
+the covert-coated whippersnapper himself; but
+the mere fact of it having been thought worth
+while to shadow him across the Atlantic spelled
+danger, and suggested an organization that
+would stop at nothing to safeguard itself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">However, he had made up his mind to call
+on the mysterious Ziegler, and by doing so at
+once he might prove his fidelity and secure a
+respite from this unpleasant espionage. Summoning
+a hansom, he bade the driver take him
+to the Hotel Cecil, and looking back he saw
+Marker following in another cab.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the few minutes that elapsed before he
+was driven into the courtyard of the palatial
+hotel he settled a problem that had been vexing
+him not a little during the voyage. Should he
+introduce himself to Ziegler as the Duke of
+Beaumanoir or as plain Charles Hanbury, the
+name by which he had been "engaged"? If he
+was for a brief space to be the consort of professional thieves, he would prefer to lead a
+double life—to perform his misdeeds as a
+commoner, and to keep his dukedom spotless.
+So it was that he gave his name as Hanbury to
+the clerk in the bureau of the hotel.</p>
+<p class="pnext">While waiting the return of the bell-boy
+who was sent to announce his arrival, Beaumanoir
+looked about for Marker, but the spy
+was nowhere visible in or from the entrance-hall.
+Having shepherded him to the fold, it
+was evidently no part of his duty to obtrude
+himself till further orders.</p>
+<p class="pnext">A minute later the neophyte in crime was
+limping up the grand staircase in wake of the
+bell-boy, who conducted him to one of the best
+private suites on the first floor overlooking the
+Embankment. It was a moment charged with
+electricity as the Duke of Beaumanoir found
+himself face to face with the man who had
+hired him in his poverty, and now held him
+fetter-bound in his good fortune.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yet could this be he—this personification of
+aged helplessness lying among the cushions of
+an invalid chair, who, in a thin, piping treble,
+requested his visitor to come closer? Beaumanoir
+had pictured all sorts of ideals of the
+master in crime, but Mr. Clinton Ziegler in the
+flesh resembled none of them. A snowy beard
+covered the lower half of his face, drooping
+over his chest, but the puffy cheeks were visible,
+and their full purple hue betokened some
+cutaneous affection. The eyes were shaded by
+blue glasses.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are the person sent by Jevons from
+New York?" he began in his parrot-like tones.
+"Good! What is your name? For the moment
+I have forgotten it, and I cannot lay my
+hand on the cablegram relating to you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Encouraged by the feeble senility of one
+whom he had expected to find a tower of
+strength—a grim, inscrutable being with an
+inscrutable manner—the Duke was confirmed
+in his intention to preserve the secret of his
+rank.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My name is Charles Hanbury," he answered,
+boldly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But an awakening, instant and complete,
+was in store for him. The words were hardly
+out of his mouth when Mr. Ziegler coughed
+a signal, and three masked men rushed upon
+him from the adjoining bedroom, pinioning
+his arms and stifling his sudden cry of alarm.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What shall we do with him, sir?" asked one
+of the men.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Chloroform him first; then you must dispose
+of him at leisure," came the monotonous
+piping treble from the invalid chair.</p>
+<p class="pnext">One of the assailants made immediate
+preparations for obeying the behest, but just
+as he was about to saturate a handkerchief
+Ziegler laughed shrilly:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Let him alone, boys. He lied to me, and
+I wanted to give him a lesson—that's all."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The men, at a sign from their chief, retired
+into the bedroom.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now, perhaps you will recognize that I
+am not to be played with, <em class="italics">your Grace</em>,"
+squeaked Mr. Ziegler. "Also that my ears are
+as long as my arms. I have known for some
+days that the gentleman whom my good friend
+Jevons was able to procure has had a sudden
+change in his fortunes, and I congratulate
+myself upon it. It doubles your value to us,
+all the more since your early call upon me after
+landing shows that you mean to abide by your
+bargain. But there must be no more petty
+reservations and concealments like that. If
+you try them on, rest assured that they will be
+detected and dealt with."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke straightened his rumpled collar,
+and looked, as he felt, a beaten man. The
+mass of infirmity in the wheel-chair held, without
+doubt, a power with which he could not
+cope. On the face of it the notion that a man
+could be violently made away with in a crowded
+London hotel might seem melodramatic and
+improbable, but the experience of the last few
+minutes had shown him how readily it could be
+done by a chief as well served as Ziegler appeared
+to be. And if he was at the man's
+mercy in a crowded hostelry like the Cecil,
+where would he be safe? Yes, if he was to
+enjoy his dukedom, he would have to go
+through with his task.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, give me my instructions. What am
+I to do?" he said, stiffly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have made a very good beginning already,"
+replied Ziegler, watching him narrowly
+through the tinted glasses. "A gentleman,
+acting on behalf of the United States
+Government, will shortly bring to this country
+the three million pounds' worth of Treasury
+bonds which we mean to have. It will be
+your task to relieve him of the paper, substituting
+bonds of our own make, which will be
+deposited at the Bank of England as security
+against a shipment of gold."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I see," the Duke murmured, mechanically.
+"But," he added with more animation, "how
+have I made a beginning already?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"By making yourself agreeable to Miss
+Leonie Sherman. It is her father, Senator
+Sherman, who is bringing the real bonds," was
+the answer, which struck a chill to the Duke's
+heart and kept him speechless with amazement.
+This old scoundrel seemed to know
+everything, to have arranged everything, irrespective
+of time and space.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You ought to be grateful for my foresight
+in smoothing the way for you," Ziegler
+croaked, in evident enjoyment of his perplexity.
+"It was my agent who, by securing the
+good offices of a steward, had you placed next
+Miss Sherman at the saloon table on the <em class="italics">St.
+Paul</em>, with the result that he was able to report
+to me this morning from Southampton by telegraph
+that you had made use of your opportunity."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I see," was all the Duke could feebly repeat.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have been invited to call on the Shermans
+in London? You know where they are
+staying, 140 Grosvenor Gardens?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes," said Beaumanoir.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Good! Then your Grace will go on as you
+have begun. Gain the girl's confidence, and
+that of her mother—the latter will be easy
+under the auspices of your new dignity—and
+come here again at twelve o'clock on Saturday
+morning, three days hence. I may then have
+further instructions for you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">And Mr. Clinton Ziegler waved a white,
+well-formed hand in dismissal.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ivthe-lady-in-the-landau">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id5">CHAPTER IV—<em class="italics">The Lady in the Landau</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">Beaumanoir passed into the corridor with
+unsteady steps, dazed by the enormity of his
+entanglement. He had been caught so easily,
+yet he was held so firmly. His first impulse
+was to rush off to Scotland Yard, expose the
+white-bearded wire-puller in the invalid chair,
+and claim protection. But that course would
+entail confession of his engagement as a criminal
+instrument, to the everlasting disgrace of
+the great family of which he was now the head.
+The alternatives were foul treachery to the girl
+of his heart or almost certain death at the
+hands of Ziegler's disciplined ruffians.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He had reached the top of the broad staircase
+when a step, almost inaudible on the thick
+pile carpet, sounded behind him and a hand
+fell on his shoulder.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Charley, old boy! Or is it 'your Grace' I
+should be calling you? What the dickens are
+you doing here?" said the young man who had
+overtaken him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir's harassed brows cleared as he
+met Alec Forsyth's honest gaze and he felt the
+grip of his honest hand. Their ways had lain
+apart for the last few years, but a very real
+friendship, begun in the Eton playing fields,
+had survived separation. Of all his acquaintances,
+Alec had been the only one to go down
+to Liverpool twelve months before to bid
+scapegrace Charles Hanbury farewell.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I had a call to make, before going to Pattisons'
+in Lincoln's Inn," said the Duke. And
+then with quick apprehension he added, pointing
+to the door he had just left: "Have you
+come from there? Have you business with
+Ziegler too?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ziegler? Who's Ziegler?" asked Forsyth,
+looking puzzled by his sudden confusion.
+"No, I haven't been to those rooms, but to the
+suite beyond. A duty call on a certain Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton, but, thank goodness, she
+wasn't at home. Now about yourself, Charley.
+Fortune smiles again, eh?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's only a sickly grin at present," Beaumanoir
+replied, dejectedly. "See here, Alec;
+I've got my bag on a cab outside. I landed
+at Southampton too early for lunch. Come
+and talk to me while I get a snack before
+going to the lawyers."</p>
+<p class="pnext">A few minutes later they were seated in a
+Strand restaurant, and the young Scotsman
+heard all about his friend's struggles with the
+demon of poverty in New York, but never a
+word of the trouble that was brooding. In
+his turn Forsyth was able to fill in the blanks
+of the family solicitor's cablegram, and enlightened
+Beaumanoir as to the manner of his
+succession to the title. The late Duke was
+traveling to Newmarket in a racing "special,"
+accompanied by his nephew and heir, George
+Hanbury, when they had both met their deaths
+in a collision.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The double funeral had taken place at
+Prior's Tarrant, the ancestral seat of the
+Dukes of Beaumanoir in Hertfordshire, three
+days before, the arrangements having been
+made by the solicitors, in the absence of the
+next successor. The last Duke having been a
+childless widower, and both his brothers, the
+fathers respectively of George and Charles
+Hanbury, having predeceased him, there had
+been no near relatives to follow the late head
+of the house to his last resting-place.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Let me see, my cousin George had a sister,
+Sybil, who used to live with my uncle," Beaumanoir
+mused aloud. "I wonder what has
+become of her."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I believe that she is still at your town house
+in Piccadilly," replied Forsyth with a constraint
+which the other did not notice in his
+self-absorption. But the next moment it
+struck Beaumanoir as odd that the information
+should have been so readily forthcoming,
+for he had been unaware that his friend knew
+his relatives.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have made Sybil Hanbury's acquaintance,
+then?" he asked.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, since your departure for America,"
+was the reply. "I had the pleasure of meeting
+her first at my uncle's in Grosvenor Gardens—General
+Sadgrove's, you know. I dare say
+you remember him?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh, yes; I remember the General well—a
+shrewd old party with eyes like gimlets," said
+Beaumanoir. "But what's this about Grosvenor
+Gardens?" he added quickly. "The
+Sadgroves used to live in Bruton Street."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Quite so; but they moved to 140 Grosvenor
+Gardens, last Christmas."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"140!" exclaimed the Duke. "Why, that's
+where the Shermans are going to stay. Some
+friends of mine who—who came over in the
+same ship," he went on to explain rather
+lamely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth shot an amused glance at his old
+crony. "Yes, I know that Uncle Jem was expecting
+some Americans to put up with him,
+and he has been raving about the charms of
+the young lady of the party for the last fortnight.
+You are excited, Charley. Your manner
+has struck me as strange since we met at
+the hotel. Is it permitted to inquire if my
+uncle is entertaining unawares—a future
+Duchess?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">To the young Scotsman's surprise, the Duke
+showed signs for a moment of taking the light-spoken
+banter amiss. Beaumanoir flushed,
+and muttered something inarticulate, but
+pulled himself together and diverted their talk
+into a fresh channel, clumsily enough.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Don't gas about me, old chap," he said.
+"Tell me of yourself. Is the world using you
+better than formerly?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"About the same," Forsyth replied with a
+shrug. "They gave me a twenty-pound rise
+last year, so my pay as a third-grade clerk in
+the Foreign Office is now the princely sum of
+£230 per annum. Not a brilliant prospect.
+When I'm a worn-out old buffer of sixty I
+shall be able to retire on a pension about equal
+to my present pay."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then look here, Alec; chuck the public service
+and come to me," said the Duke, eagerly.
+"I'll give you eight hundred a year to begin
+with, and rises up to two thousand; and you
+can have the dower-house at Prior's Tarrant
+to live in. Call yourself private secretary,
+bailiff, anything you please—only come. The
+fact is—well, I've been a bit shaken by—by
+what I've gone through. I want someone near
+me who's more than a mere hireling."</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was Forsyth's turn to flush now, but with
+pleasure at the offer made to him. He accepted
+it in a few simple words, and the Duke
+rose and paid his score.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come with me to Pattisons'," he said.
+"Then we'll go on to Piccadilly and take possession."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The business at the lawyers', which consisted
+of little more than arranging future meetings,
+was soon finished, and the Duke and his new
+secretary took a fresh cab to the West End.
+As they bowled along Beaumanoir inquired
+further about his cousin Sybil, whom, owing
+to his absence in India and more latterly to
+his estrangement from his relations, he had
+never met. Forsyth imparted the information
+that for the last six months, since she "came
+out," she had virtually ruled the late Duke's
+household.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But she can be little more than a child,"
+Beaumanoir protested. "Anyhow, I can't
+keep a cousin of eighteen on as <em class="italics">my</em> housekeeper
+without setting Mrs. Grundy's tongue
+wagging. The question arises what to do with
+her. Old Pattison tells me she is well provided
+for, but I don't like telling her to clear
+out if it does not occur to her to go. What
+sort is she, Alec?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's rather a stiff question to put to
+<em class="italics">me</em>," Forsyth replied, as though to himself.
+"I had better make my confession first as
+last," he went on hurriedly. "You are her
+nearest relative now, and the head of her family.
+Ever since I first saw Sybil Hanbury the
+dearest wish of my heart has been to make her
+my wife, but without prospects of any kind
+I couldn't very well ask her. There you have
+it, my noble patron, in a nutshell."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir patted his friend's knee affectionately.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear fellow, go in and win, so far as
+I am concerned," he said. "While I am above
+ground your prospects need stand in your way
+no longer. But you haven't answered my
+question, which I'll put in another way. How
+is she likely to take my appearance on the
+scene?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'm afraid she's rather prejudiced. Her
+brother George didn't love you much, you
+know, and she is greatly cut up by his loss,"
+Forsyth replied, with the dogged manner of
+the honest man who has to say a disagreeable
+thing. "I don't think that you need be under
+any apprehension about her staying on at
+Beaumanoir House when you show up. To
+be candid, I saw her yesterday, and she said
+she should begin packing as soon as she was
+sure that you hadn't been drowned on the voyage
+home."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Good girl!" ejaculated the Duke. "The
+unexpressed hope did her much honor, only
+it's a pity it didn't come off. Now, Alec, if
+you'll see her first—she needn't see me at all
+if she doesn't wish to—and tell her from me
+that she's not to hurry out of the house, because
+I'm going to oscillate between Prior's Tarrant
+and a hotel for the present, I shall be immensely
+obliged to you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But you said just now that you were going
+to take possession."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I have changed my mind. There are reasons
+which I cannot explain to you why my
+immediate neighborhood is likely to be dangerous
+for the present. I should be sorry to subject
+my fair cousin to any unpleasantness.
+Though not a word of this to her or anyone
+else, please."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The cab was drawing up before the ducal
+mansion, and Forsyth forbore to put into
+words the astonishment which he looked. As
+the two men were about to ascend the steps
+to the entrance, a landau, which was being
+driven slowly by, drew to the curb, and a lady
+who, besides the servants, was the sole occupant,
+called out:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Surely you're not going to cut me, Mr.
+Forsyth. Too proud to know poor little me,
+eh, now that you've taken to calling on dukes?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">A murmur of annoyance escaped Forsyth,
+but perforce he went to the carriage and shook
+the daintily gloved hand held out to him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How do you do, Mrs. Talmage Eglinton?"
+he said, adding the reproving whisper,
+"That <em class="italics">is</em> the Duke."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The lady in the landau raised her lorgnettes
+and calmly surveyed the waiting nobleman.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How very interesting!" she purred, adding
+aloud so that the subject of her request could
+not fail to hear, "Why don't you introduce
+him, instead of keeping him standing there?
+We Americans are death on dukes, you know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">At a gesture from Forsyth, who tried to
+convey his disgust by a look, Beaumanoir
+limped forward, smiling. His misfortunes
+had made him something of a democrat, and
+he had always been ready to see the comic side
+of things till tragedy that morning had
+claimed him for its own. In meeting the advances
+of the agent Jevons in the Bowery
+saloon he had been largely influenced by the
+humor of the situation—of the scion of a ducal
+house consenting to "get a bit" by passing
+forged bonds.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, a handsome blonde
+with an elegant figure and a childish voice, received
+the Duke with effusion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I stopped my carriage to ask Mr. Forsyth
+to tea on Saturday," she prattled. "I do hope
+your Grace will come too. I am staying at
+the Cecil, and shall be delighted to see you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The unblushing effrontery of the invitation
+failed to strike Beaumanoir in his sudden horror
+at the associations called up by it. This
+frivolous butterfly of a woman occupied the
+next suite of rooms to those in which Ziegler
+was spinning his villainous web—in which that
+terrible old man had unfolded to him the details
+of his treacherous task. Strange, too, that
+he should be bidden to the mild dissipation of
+an afternoon tea-table in that hotel, of all
+others, on the very day when he was due to
+go there on business so different, for Saturday
+was the day appointed by Ziegler for his call
+for "further instructions."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Conscious that the mocking eyes of the lady
+in the landau were watching him with a curious
+inquiry, he mastered his emotion, and at the
+same time came to a decision on the vital issue
+before him. Probably he would have arrived
+at the same one without the incentive of avoiding
+an unpalatable engagement, but Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton's invitation to tea was undoubtedly
+the final influence in setting him on
+the straight path.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am very sorry," he replied, and there was
+a new dignity in his tone, "but I must ask you
+to excuse me. I am going down to-morrow to
+Prior's Tarrant, my place in Hertfordshire,
+and I shall not be in town on Saturday."</p>
+<p class="pnext">For the fraction of a second the rebuffed
+hostess seemed taken aback by the refusal.
+She flushed slightly under her powder, and the
+taper fingers twitched on the handle of her
+sunshade. But without any appreciable pause
+she answered gaily:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's most unkind of you. Well, what
+must be must be. Good-bye, your Grace.
+Good-bye, Mr. Forsyth; I shall expect you,
+anyhow. Drive on, Bennett."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The carriage rolled away.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am glad you snubbed her," Forsyth exclaimed.
+"She has been made a good deal of
+in certain circles during the last month or two,
+and presumes a lot on the strength of it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Did I snub her?" said the Duke carelessly.
+"I am sure I didn't mean to, for she deserves
+better things of me. You'd hardly believe it,
+Alec, but that little episode has jerked me into
+deciding a crucial point—no less than whether
+to be a man or a cur. At the same time it has
+put me quite outside the pale as a resident
+under the same roof as my cousin. On second
+thoughts, I will not go in at all, but I shall be
+obliged if you will see her and convey the message I gave you—that Beaumanoir House is
+at her disposal till she can quite conveniently
+leave it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But what are you going to do yourself?"
+said Forsyth in sheer bewilderment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"First I shall go to Bond Street, to gladden
+the hearts of some of my old creditors; then by
+an evening train to Prior's Tarrant," was the
+reply. "And, Alec," proceeded the Duke
+earnestly, "if you can get leave from the Foreign
+Office, pending retirement, and join me
+there as soon as possible, you will place me
+under a very deep obligation."</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vziegler-begins-to-move">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id6">CHAPTER V—<em class="italics">Ziegler Begins to Move</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">On the following Sunday morning the Duke
+of Beaumanoir stood at one of the windows of
+the long library at Prior's Tarrant, idly beating
+a tattoo on the glass. The June sunshine
+flooded the bosky leafage of the glorious expanse
+of park, and nearer still the parterres of
+the old Dutch garden were gay with summer
+bloom; but the beauties of the landscape were
+lost upon the watcher at the window.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Nearly four and twenty hours had elapsed
+since he had failed to keep his appointment
+with Mr. Ziegler, and he was wondering how
+and when that autocrat of high-grade crime
+would signalize his displeasure at the mutiny.
+That sooner or later an edict would issue
+against him from the invalid chair in the first-floor
+suite he had not the slightest doubt. He
+knew that he had to deal with men playing a
+great game for a great stake in deadly earnest.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Dukes of Beaumanoir had never been
+famous for their virtues, any more than they
+had been cowards, and it was rather a dawning
+sense of responsibility than fear, either for his
+reputation or his person, that filled him with
+apprehension. If "anything happened" to
+him, such a lot would happen to so many other
+people. For instance, it had only occurred to
+him since he came down to the country that if
+Ziegler killed him his death would mean ruin
+to Alec Forsyth, who had thrown up a sure
+position to serve him. The next heir was an
+elderly cousin with a large family to provide
+for, and he would certainly not retain Forsyth
+in his employment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Then, again, Beaumanoir reflected with a
+sigh, his new and sweet friendship with Leonie
+Sherman—a friendship to which no blot on his
+escutcheon need now put limits—would be
+rudely snapped. The King of Terrors would
+take away what his saved honor had restored,
+and perhaps it was the bitterest drop in his
+cup to feel that he might be giving his life to
+lose what in another sense he would have given
+his life to win. To ask Leonie to link her fate
+to his, with that dark shadow hanging over
+him, was out of the question.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Once he had taken up his pen to denounce
+Ziegler to the police authorities anonymously,
+but he had despondingly laid it down again.
+That crafty practitioner had doubtless safeguarded
+himself against such an obvious
+course by being prepared with an unimpeachable
+record which it would be impossible to
+shake unless he came forward and avowed complicity.
+There, again, dishonor waited for
+him, and he had already made his choice that
+a short shrift was preferable to that.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The gloom of his mood was enhanced by his
+intense loneliness in the huge feudal monastery
+that now called him master, for Forsyth had
+been unable to join him, owing to difficulties in
+obtaining release from his present duties.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir took out and read for the fifth
+time a letter which had arrived that morning
+from his friend and secretary:</p>
+<blockquote><div>
+<p class="pfirst">"My dear Duke (I mustn't use the irreverent
+'Charley' any more),—I am still having
+trouble with the F.O. people about my departure,
+but I think I may safely promise to get
+away to you on Tuesday. In fact, I shall
+make a point of doing so, even if I have to
+leave the public service in disgrace, for you
+must forgive my saying that I am rather uneasy about you. The other day you seemed
+like a man with a millstone round his neck,
+and I take it that one of the duties of a private
+secretary is to remove millstones from the person
+of his employer. I only wish you would
+confide fully in me, and command me in any
+way—but that is, of course, your affair.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I dined with my uncle, General Sadgrove,
+last night, and had the pleasure of meeting
+Mrs. and Miss Sherman there. The latter is
+indeed a charming girl. She was rather shy
+in talking about you, having heard from my
+uncle that the Mr. Hanbury she met on shipboard
+was probably the Duke of Beaumanoir
+on his way to enter into his kingdom. Mrs.
+Sherman waxed enthusiastic on your 'old-world
+courtesy' and the General, who chaffs
+the old lady, remarked that she had been
+equally laudatory before she discovered your
+rank.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"They were all very kind and congratulatory
+on my announcing my engagement to
+Sybil, which, as I wrote you yesterday, was
+ratified within ten minutes of your leaving me
+at the door of Beaumanoir House.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You may be interested to hear that I did
+<em class="italics">not</em> go to tea with Mrs. Talmage Eglinton to-day.—Yours,</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<span class="small-caps">Alec Forsyth</span>."</p>
+</div></blockquote>
+<p class="pfirst">The Duke crushed the letter back into his
+pocket, and came to a resolution.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'll run up to town to-morrow and call on
+the Shermans," he said to himself. "And now
+I'll do the proper thing, and go to church.
+I'm not going to crouch in corners because of
+that patriarchal old fiend at the Cecil."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The church at which generations of Hanburys
+had worshiped was in the center of
+Tarrant village, a mile from the lodge gates,
+but there was a short cut to it across the park.
+This was the route taken by the Duke, who
+first crossed the greensward and then passed
+out by a private wicket into the road after
+traversing the belt of copse that fringed the
+demesne. The villagers, who had waited for
+his coming, standing bare-headed in the
+churchyard, were a little disappointed that he
+had not driven up in full state. But the solitary
+gentleman limping up the path atoned
+for the lack of ceremony and won their hearts
+by his friendly smile; and a handshake to one
+or two of the older inhabitants, whom he remembered
+as a boy, clinched the matter.
+The verdict went round that the new Duke
+would "do."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The service that morning was, it is to be
+feared, more ducal than devotional. From the
+white-robed choir, ranged among the tombs
+of dead-and-gone Hanburys in the chancel, to
+the hard-breathing rustics on the back benches
+every eye was turned and steadily kept on the
+lonely figure in the family pew. While grateful
+for the homage paid him, the Duke was
+not sorry when the ordeal was over and he was
+free to make his way homeward.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But he was not to get off so easily. As he
+was about to let himself through the private
+gate into the park, intending to go back, as he
+had come, through the copse, footsteps sounded
+behind him, and Mr. Bristow, the vicar, overtook
+him. They had already met on the previous
+day.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Your Grace is alone still?" panted the
+clergyman. "Ah, I thought your secretary
+wouldn't find it so easy to cast his shackles.
+I am commissioned by Mrs. Bristow to say—I
+hope you won't think us presuming—that
+we shall be delighted if you will give us your
+company at our homely lunch."</p>
+<p class="pnext">A sudden impulse prompted Beaumanoir to
+accept the invitation. He had taken a liking
+for the hale, vigorous old vicar, who had the
+archives of his family by rote, and an hour or
+two in his society would take him out of himself.
+So he turned back and accompanied his
+host to the vicarage, where he made a good
+impression on Mrs. Bristow by his cordial
+praise of her training of the choir and by appreciation
+of her strawberries and cream.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was past four when he returned to Prior's
+Tarrant, to be met in the entrance-hall by the
+butler with a face eloquent of "something
+wrong."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What is it, Manson?" he asked. "Mr.
+Bristow sent a boy, did he not, to say that I
+was lunching at the vicarage?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, your Grace. It isn't that," was the
+agitated reply. "I have to report an outrage
+that's been committed on one of the under-servants.
+Jennings, the third gardener, was
+coming back from church through the copse
+in the park, when he was lassoed, your Grace,
+same as they do buffalo, I've been told, in foreign
+parts. A rope shot out of the bushes over
+his shoulders, and then a man ran up as he
+was struggling on the ground; but let him go,
+saying it was a joke. Jennings hasn't got any
+enemies that he knows of, and it was a wicked
+thing to do, because he's a bit of a cripple and
+walks lame. It's shook him a good deal."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am not surprised at that," said the Duke.
+"Possibly it was only intended as a practical
+joke, but you had better inform the constable
+in the village, and instruct him to inquire into
+the matter."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The butler retired, and the Duke smiled
+grimly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ziegler has begun to put in some of his
+fine work," he muttered. "The initial blunder
+of his agents in mistaking a servant's limp for
+mine won't stop him long. I shall begin to like
+the excitement soon, I expect."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But as the day wore to evening, and the
+evening to night, the sensation of being <em class="italics">hunted</em>
+vexed his nerves. He found himself prolonging
+his solitary dinner for the sake of the company
+of the butler and footman who waited
+upon him, and afterwards he abstained from
+the moonlit stroll on the terrace to which he
+felt tempted. It was not till the mansion had
+been barred and bolted for the night that he
+ceased to fumble frequently for the revolver
+which he had carried all day.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Before retiring he inquired of Manson if
+the constable had traced the maltreaters of
+Jennings, and he was not surprised to learn
+that there had been no discoveries. Mr. Clinton
+Ziegler was not the man to employ agents
+incapable of baffling a village policeman.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The room which Beaumanoir occupied was
+the great state bed-chamber that had been used
+by his predecessors from time immemorial—a
+gaunt apartment with a cavernous fireplace
+and heavily curtained mullioned windows. He
+did not like the room, but had consented to
+sleep there on seeing that the old retainers
+would be scandalized by his sleeping anywhere
+but in the "Duke's Room."</p>
+<p class="pnext">After locking the door and seeing to the
+window fastenings, he took the additional precaution
+of examining the chimney. Bending
+his head clear of the massive mantelpiece, he
+looked up and saw that at the end of the broad
+shaft quite a large circle of star-lit sky was
+visible, while a cold blast struck downwards of
+sufficient volume to purify the air of the room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He lay awake for some time, but he must
+have been slumbering fitfully for over an hour
+when he felt himself gradually awakening—not
+from any sudden start, but from a growing
+sense of strange oppression in his lungs. As
+his senses returned the choking sensation increased,
+and finally he lay wide awake, wondering
+what was the matter. Every minute
+it became harder to breathe the stifling air, and
+at last he flung the bedclothes off in the hope
+of relief, and in doing so saw something so
+unaccountable that his reeling senses were
+stricken with amazement rather than fear.</p>
+<p class="pnext">There was a fire in the grate. Glowing
+steadily in the recess of the ancient fireplace a
+great red ball burned, without flicker and without
+flame, but lurid with the unwavering light
+that comes from fuel fused to intense heat.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Even without the terrible oppression at his
+chest there would have been a weird horror in
+this mysterious fire introduced into his room at
+dead of night—into a room with locked door
+and fastened windows. But what did this
+ghastly struggle for breath portend?</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Charcoal! Ziegler!" were the two words
+that buzzed in response through his fast-clouding
+brain.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vithe-general-is-curious">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id7">CHAPTER VI—<em class="italics">The General is Curious</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">On the following afternoon at tea-time four
+ladies were seated in the pleasant drawing-room
+of 140 Grosvenor Gardens, the residence
+of General Sadgrove, late of the Indian Staff
+Corps. Mrs. Sadgrove, a fair, plump, elderly
+dame, needs no special description, and two of
+the other tea-drinkers—Mrs. Senator Sherman,
+as she preferred to be called, and her
+daughter Leonie—we have met before.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The fourth occupant of the room—a girl
+dressed in deep mourning—was Sybil Hanbury,
+who had come to discuss her engagement
+to Alec Forsyth with her motherly old friend,
+Alec's aunt by marriage, Mrs. Sadgrove.
+Owing to the recent deaths in her family the
+engagement was not to be publicly announced
+at present; but Sybil had no secrets from the
+Sadgroves, who had known her from a baby,
+long before she had been taken up, on the death
+of her parents, by her grandfather, the late
+Duke of Beaumanoir.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Miss Hanbury owed her attractiveness to
+her essentially English type, not of beauty—she
+would have disdained to lay claim to that—but
+of fresh, healthy coloring, a suspicion of
+tomboyishness, and a lithe, supple figure that
+stood her in good stead in the hunting and
+hockey fields. A trifle slangy on occasion, she
+was a good hater and a staunch friend, with a
+temper—as she had warned Alec already—that
+would need a lot of humoring if they were
+not to have "ructions."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I've got the makings of a termagant, my
+dear boy, but it will be all right if you rule me
+with a velvet glove," she had remarked within
+five minutes of their first kiss.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In fact, Miss Sybil Hanbury was a bit of a
+hoyden; but a very capable little hoyden for
+all that, and absolutely fearless.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The two girls had naturally paired off together,
+and the subject of their talk was,
+equally naturally, the new Duke—Alec's
+friend, Sybil's cousin, and Leonie's chance acquaintance
+on the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em>.</p>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 28%; width: 43%" id="figure-8">
+<span id="a-countrywoman-of-yours-i-wonder-if-you-know-her"/><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="A countrywoman of yours. I wonder if you know her?" src="images/illus2.jpg" width="100%"/>
+<div class="caption italics">
+"A countrywoman of yours. I wonder if you know her?"</div>
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst">Sybil, after listening to Leonie's rather halting
+description of the fellow passenger whom
+she had known as "Mr. Hanbury," owned
+frankly that she had never heard any good of
+her cousin, but she hastened to add:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He's given my prejudice a nasty knock,
+though, in behaving so well to my young man.
+Gave him a billet as private sec. that enabled
+Alec to—you know. A man can't be much
+of a wrong 'un who'll stick to old pals when
+they have no claim on him."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Leonie tried not to show surprise at the vernacular.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He seemed very kind and considerate. I
+don't think he can ever have done anything
+dishonorable," she replied.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nobody ever accused him of that," Sybil
+assented. "It was only that he was extravagant,
+and that my grandfather got tired of
+paying his debts. You see, he wasn't the next
+heir, and—well, perhaps they were a little hard
+on him. I'm quite prepared to like him now."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The conversation was interrupted by the entrance
+of a servant, who announced:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mrs. Talmage Eglinton."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A fellow countrywoman of yours. I wonder
+if you know her?" Sybil whispered, as a
+radiant vision in pale pink under a large "picture"
+hat sailed in, and was greeted with
+somewhat frigid politeness by Mrs. Sadgrove.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No; I am not acquainted with either
+the name or the lady," Leonie replied, struck
+with a strange antipathy to the bold eyes that
+seemed to be mastering every detail in the
+room, herself included. Indeed, Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton stared so markedly both at
+Leonie and her mother that Mrs. Sadgrove
+thought they must have met, and promptly
+introduced them as American friends staying
+in the house. The introduction was not a success,
+for the Shermans knew everyone worth
+knowing in American society, and the fact
+that they had never so much as heard of Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton argued her outside the
+pale.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The elegant vision received her snubbing
+with cool unconcern, and after a few generalities
+turned again to her hostess and engaged
+in the trifling chatter of a "duty" call, making
+one or two unsuccessful attempts to include
+Sybil, to whom she had not been introduced,
+in the conversation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That woman is a brute," Sybil said to
+Leonie under her breath. "I'll tell you about
+her when she's gone."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The door opened, and there entered an iron-gray
+man of sixty, whose coming might almost
+have been the cause of expediting the departure
+of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, so quickly did
+she rise and begin her good-byes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No, really I can't stay, dear Mrs. Sadgrove,
+even to have the pleasure of a chat with
+the General," she prattled. "I have half a
+dozen other calls to pay, and you have beguiled
+me into staying too long already. Good-bye.
+Good-bye, General. Pray don't trouble to
+come down." And with a half-impudent bow
+of exaggerated respect to the Shermans, she
+swept out, with the master of the house in attendance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">General Sadgrove returned at once to the
+drawing-room after escorting the visitor to
+her carriage. He was a man who bore his years
+easily; singularly slow and scant of speech, but
+alert of eye and almost jaunty in the erectness
+of his bearing. He had gained his C.B. for
+prominent services in the suppression of
+Thuggee and Dacoity, and his name is still
+held in wholesome dread by the criminals of
+India whose method is violence. It had once
+been said of him by a high official: "Jem Sadgrove
+doesn't have to worry about <em class="italics">finding</em>
+clues. He makes them for himself, and they
+always yield a true scent. He's got the nose
+of a fox-terrier, and the patience and speed of
+a greyhound."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But that was long ago, and it might be supposed
+that in such pleasant duties of retirement
+as the ushering out of dainty visitors
+from his wife's tea-table his faculties had become
+blunted. Nor in the law-abiding precincts
+of Belgravia could there be scope for
+the old-time energy. Yet Mrs. Sadgrove, who
+knew the signs and portents of her husband's
+face, looked twice at him with just a shade of
+anxiety as she asked whether he would take
+some tea.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thanks," he said, and taking his cup he
+went and stood on the rug before the empty
+hearth. He stirred his tea slowly, with his eyes
+wandering from one to the other of the four
+women in the room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You good people seem singularly calm,
+considering that you must just have been
+listening to a very exciting story," he remarked.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Indeed, no," replied Sybil, taking upon
+herself to answer. "The lady to whom you
+have just been doing the polite bored us intensely.
+Leonie says, for all the dash she's
+cutting in London, she's an <em class="italics">incognita</em> so far as
+America is concerned."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General continued to stir his tea impassively.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Did she not inform you in the course of her
+small talk," he inquired presently, "that on her
+way here her carriage had knocked a man
+down and gone near to killing him?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The question evoked a chorus of interested
+negatives.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Neither did she say anything to me about
+it," said the General gravely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then how did you become aware of the accident?"
+Mrs. Sadgrove ventured to ask.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Saw it," returned the General. "It happened
+in Buckingham Palace Road. I was
+passing at the time, on my way home from the
+club. Her coachman drove right over the fellow
+as he was crossing the roadway at the corner.
+He was knocked down, and it was the
+merest shave that he wasn't trampled by the
+horses and crushed by the wheels. As it was,
+he escaped with a bit of a shaking and a dusty
+coat. At any rate, he got up and walked into
+the nearest barber's—for a wash and brush-up,
+I suppose."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Further questioned, the General in his jerky
+way informed his fair audience that he was
+sure that it was Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's
+jobbed landau that had wrought the mischief,
+and that she herself was in it at the time. It
+was the same vehicle which he had found at
+his own door on reaching home ten minutes
+ago, and to which he had just conducted her.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Funny that she should be so secretive about
+it," said Mrs. Sadgrove, reflectively. "It's the
+sort of thing that most women, coming fresh
+from the scene, would have been full of—especially
+as it must have been the coachman's
+fault, and not her own."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Exactly," was the General's curt comment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She's a—a <em class="italics">creature</em>," Sybil Hanbury exclaimed,
+viciously. "Thank goodness, I don't
+know her; but I've heard all about her from
+Alec. The poor boy can't abide her; she makes
+eyes at him so unblushingly."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then we can appreciate your sentiments
+about her," remarked the General with the
+flicker of a smile. "How did we come to know
+this lady?" he added to his wife.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Sadgrove explained that she had been
+asked as a favor to call on Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+by a mutual acquaintance, a certain
+Lady Roseville, but had regretted it ever since.
+Their intercourse had, however, been of the
+slightest, being confined to the interchange of
+a couple of formal visits, and to an invitation
+by Mrs. Sadgrove to a musical "at home," at
+which Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had endeavored
+to embark on a flirtation with Alec Forsyth.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She's a rich widow, I believe; and I don't
+think she would ever have been heard of if the
+Rosevilles hadn't taken her up," Mrs. Sadgrove
+concluded.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The series of grunts with which the General
+received this information had hardly ceased
+when again the footman appeared in the doorway
+and announced, with all due importance:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"His Grace the Duke of Beaumanoir."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The occupants of the drawing-room were all
+accustomed to the "usages of polite society,"
+either in Britannic or Transatlantic form; but
+it was impossible for them to repress a flutter
+of excitement as the visitor entered, his original
+"cavalry swing" marred but not wholly
+obliterated by his limp. Leonie tried hard not
+to blush, and failed. Mrs. Sherman interlaced
+her fingers nervously. Sybil Hanbury stared
+hard at the cousin whose stately town house
+she was occupying, and who had waved a
+magic wand over her lover's prospects. Mrs.
+Sadgrove was the graceful and interested hostess,
+and the General—well, the General was
+surprised for once into a start which was only
+invisible because nobody was looking at him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir's manner was perfectly easy
+and self-possessed, but there was a harassed
+look in his eyes which did not entirely fade
+as he responded to his welcome. But it was
+not that which had caused the General to start.</p>
+<p class="pnext"><em class="italics">The Duke was the man whom he had seen
+knocked down by Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's
+carriage, to the imminent peril of his life.</em></p>
+<p class="pnext">The "wash and brush-up" had been effectual
+as regards the ducal garments, but they could
+not hide the black silk sling in which he carried
+his left arm. It was General Sadgrove's way
+to allow events to shape themselves, and saying
+nothing of the scene he had witnessed as
+he welcomed the distinguished visitor, he
+waited for the Duke to refer to his mishap
+himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But no. The victim of the accident was
+apparently as much inclined to reticence as
+had been the fair cause of it. It was Mrs.
+Sherman who unconsciously provoked the
+mendacious statement which stimulated the
+General's curiosity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'm afraid that your Grace has hurt your
+hand," said the Senator's wife, pointing to a
+broad strip of diachylon plaster that ran from
+the Duke's wrist to the ball of his thumb.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, I—I grazed it rather badly against
+the wheel in getting out of a cab," Beaumanoir
+replied with a momentary loss of his self-possession.
+The discomposure passed at once,
+and only the observer on the hearth-rug noticed
+it. The same shrewd observer presently
+perceived that the visitor was definitely leading
+the conversation to the subject of the arrival in
+England of Senator Sherman; and, more than
+that, that he was waxing a shade more inquisitive
+than good-breeding allowed as to the nature
+of the senatorial journey.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ah! he's coming on political business, I
+think you told me?" the Duke remarked in a
+half-tone of interrogation on Leonie saying
+that her father, according to advices received
+that morning, was to sail in two days' time on
+the <em class="italics">Campania</em>, and would be due at Liverpool
+early in the following week.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, it's political business in a way," Mrs.
+Sherman struck in. "My husband is coming
+over in charge of a large amount of Government
+securities, which are to be deposited at
+the Bank of England against a shipment of
+English gold to the United States."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He's got the opening he wanted. Now,
+what on earth is he going to do with it?" said
+the General to himself as he watched keenly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Rather a dangerous mission, I should say,"
+was the Duke's comment on the information
+imparted to him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Dangerous! How can that be?" Leonie
+exclaimed, wondering. "United States Treasury
+bonds are not explosive."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No, but the world is full of sharps, Miss
+Sherman, and some of them might fancy having
+a shy for such a haul," said Beaumanoir
+with a trace more of earnestness than the occasion
+seemed to require. "If I had a relative
+starting on such an errand, I should be inclined
+to cable him to—ah—to look out for
+himself," he added in direct appeal to Mrs.
+Sherman.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the good lady laughed the suggestion to
+scorn, alleging playfully that "it would be as
+much as her place was worth" to tackle the
+Senator that way. It would be a hint that he
+wasn't able to take care of himself or of his
+charge, and would be resented accordingly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke abandoned the subject, but the
+General noted the disappointment in the tired
+eyes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"His Grace knows something. Let's see—he
+was on his beam-ends when he was unearthed
+in New York," the old hunter of
+Thugs and Dacoits muttered under his gray
+mustache.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir made no long stay after his
+ineffectual effort to sound a warning note.
+There had been no opportunity for individual
+talk; but in saying his adieus he had two words
+with Sybil, who had been observing her cousin
+quite as intently as, and a good deal more
+openly than, the General.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'm going to look Alec up now, at his diggings
+in John Street," he said. "Probably I
+shall ask him to put me up to-night."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's a shame that you should have to do
+so," Sybil blurted in her boyish fashion.
+"You've been awfully good to us. I ought
+to have cleared out of Beaumanoir House at
+once, and I'll 'git' as soon as ever I can make
+other arrangements."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I beg you'll do nothing of the kind," Beaumanoir
+made genial answer. "Alec is about
+the only friend I have, and—and I need a
+friend, Cousin Sybil. It has been a pleasure
+to serve him and you—if it can be called serving
+you," he added with a thoughtful gravity
+that puzzled the girl.</p>
+<p class="pnext">She shook hands with a warmth that bespoke
+the death of old prejudices, and General Sadgrove,
+who had hardly exchanged two words
+with his visitor, accompanied him to the hall-door.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Are you walking, Duke? Or shall I
+whistle a cab?" he asked.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir looked up the street and down
+the street, and gave a queer little shrug.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It won't make any difference whether I
+walk or drive," he said. "Good-bye, General."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Having gazed the limping figure out of
+sight, the General went back into the house and
+made for his private den—a cozy apartment
+crammed with Eastern spoils. There he leisurely
+selected a cigar and seated himself in a
+big saddle-bag chair.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"There is something brewing," he growled
+gently. "I perceive a vibration in the moral
+atmosphere which quite recalls old days. I
+wonder what it means?"</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-viithe-men-on-the-stairs">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id8">CHAPTER VII—<em class="italics">The Men on the Stairs</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The rooms—two in number—occupied by
+Alec Forsyth in John Street, Adelphi, were
+in a house let off in bachelor chambers, with
+the exception of the ground floor, which was
+used as an office by a firm of wholesale wine-merchants.
+The young Scotsman's limited
+income had precluded a more aristocratic locality;
+and, at any rate, John Street offered
+the advantage of being within a few minutes'
+walk of his daily work in Downing Street.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the daytime, when the tenants were out
+at their various avocations, the upper part of
+the dingy old building was deserted, save by
+the housekeeper in the attics; while the counting-house
+abutting on the street was all life
+and bustle. At night the conditions were reversed,
+the wine-merchant's premises being
+locked up and silent, and the rooms above occupied.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On the evening of that Monday on which
+the Duke of Beaumanoir called on the Shermans at the residence of General Sadgrove,
+Alec was busy in his sitting-room, tearing up
+papers and preparing generally for his departure
+to Prior's Tarrant on the morrow. It
+was past eight, and he had just lit the gas,
+when the door suddenly opened and Beaumanoir
+came in.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Why, Charley—hang it! Duke, I mean—I
+thought you were in the country!" Alec
+exclaimed, more astonished by his friend's actions
+than by his appearance there.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For, after slipping quietly in, Beaumanoir
+had turned sharp round and loosed the catch
+of the spring-lock. Not satisfied with that, he
+also shot home the two old-fashioned bolts with
+which the door was fitted, top and bottom, and
+then flung himself into an easy chair, mopping
+his brow with his handkerchief.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't think I was spotted, but it's best
+to be on the safe side," he muttered. Then
+aloud: "I came to ask you to give me a shake-down
+to-night, old chap, on a sofa or anything;
+only I don't know if it's fair to you; my
+proximity carries a pretty considerable risk.
+But I've been—rather worried, and I seem to
+want company."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth rose, and laid an affectionate hand
+on the Duke's shoulder.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now, look here," he said, firmly. "I'm
+going to forget that you're my employer at a
+generous salary, and remember only that I'm
+your friend. What does all this mean?
+You've been hurt somehow, too. Just make a
+clean breast of it, and let's see what can be
+done."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir shook his head sadly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I can't make a clean breast of it," he began;
+then pulled up short and went on. "At
+least, I can't tell you causes, but I'll tell you
+effects. My life has been attempted twice certainly,
+possibly three times, since noon yesterday."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How?" said Alec with Scotch brevity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A lame gardener was set upon at Prior's
+Tarrant, and released on his assailants finding
+that they had mistaken him for me. And at
+night they got on the roof and tried to suffocate
+me by letting a brazier of charcoal down
+into the grate and plugging the chimney.
+Luckily I awoke, and managed to crawl out of
+the room in time."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But surely you raised an alarm and caught
+the fellows? They couldn't get off the roof
+and escape so quickly as that," exclaimed Alec,
+half incredulous.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Again the Duke shook his head.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I raised no alarm, and they did get away,
+after pulling up the brazier and leaving no
+trace," he replied. "There are reasons, Alec,
+why I could not have appeared against them
+had they been caught—the same reasons why
+I can't confide more fully in you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You must have done something very bad—murder
+at least," said Forsyth, gravely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"On the contrary, I have done nothing at
+all," Beaumanoir retorted. "It is for not
+doing something that I am being persecuted."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, what about the third attempt?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It happened this afternoon, as I was on
+my way to your uncle's. A carriage knocked
+me down and very nearly crumpled me. But
+that may have been an accident."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Did you take stock of the driver and the
+people in the carriage?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir was obliged to admit that he
+had not. In his disheveled state he had been
+only anxious to be cleaned down and have his
+wrist attended to, and it was not till after the
+carriage had driven rapidly away that he had
+connected the incident with the other attempts.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth said nothing for the moment, but
+fetched some cigarettes from the mantelpiece;
+and it was not until they had smoked in silence
+for awhile that he blurted out suddenly:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"This can't be allowed to go on. It makes
+everything impossible. Have you any reason
+to think that the people who are pursuing you
+will do so indefinitely—until they have settled
+you?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir considered before replying, as
+though the point had not occurred to him before.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No," he said, with a nervous laugh.
+"Things have crowded so in the last few hours
+that I haven't thought much about any sort of
+future. I cannot be sure, but I believe if I
+could pull through till the end of next week—say,
+for another fortnight—that the danger
+would pass."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth sat and ruminated, blowing blue
+smoke-rings; and then, after two or three
+minutes of silence, a faint noise sounded in the
+room. The Duke, whose nerves were tuned to
+concert pitch, heard it first, and turned a pair
+of wide-open eyes on the door. Forsyth's gaze
+followed, and they both saw the handle of the
+door move. The door itself, being locked and
+double bolted, of course refused to yield to the
+gentle pressure from without.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth laid his finger to his lips for silence,
+and motioned Beaumanoir to retire into the
+bedroom, which communicated by means of
+folding doors with the sitting-room. When
+the Duke had noiselessly disappeared, Forsyth
+stole to the outer door, and having first quietly
+drawn the bolts he quickly unlocked it and
+flung it open, to be confronted by an under-sized
+little man, who shrank back from his
+threatening attitude.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Who the deuce are you—and what do you
+want, disturbing me at this time of night?"
+Forsyth demanded fiercely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"These are Mr. Crofton's chambers, ain't
+they, sir?" bleated the intruder.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No; they are not. There's no one of that
+name in the house that I know of," replied
+Forsyth, partially mollified by his mild manner,
+and wholly so when the little man proceeded
+to apologize for his mistake, explaining
+that he was from a chemist's in the Strand with
+some medicine for the gentleman, but that he
+must have come to the wrong house.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Holding up a bottle as evidence of his <em class="italics">bona
+fides</em>, he retreated downstairs, excusing himself
+to the last; but before going he had managed
+to snatch a comprehensive glance round the
+room. Forsyth waited on the landing until his
+steps had died away, and then went back into
+his room, barring the door as before.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's all right," he said, going to the folding
+doors. "Only some chap who had mistaken
+the address."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Not much mistake there," replied the
+Duke, outwardly calm, but gone very white.
+"I caught a peep of him. He's a johnny who
+shadowed me over from America, and never
+left me till just before I met you at the Cecil.
+He called himself Marker, and—and he's in
+this business, Alec."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He didn't look very formidable. Why,
+you could lick the thread-paper little skimp
+with one hand," said Forsyth, beginning to
+wonder if his friend's mind were unhinged.
+It was not like the once gay hussar Charley
+Hanbury—intrepid horseman, champion boxer,
+and good all-round athlete—to funk a miserable
+wisp such as that!</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He is only the spy, I expect—sent to find
+out if I was here," replied Beaumanoir, passing
+a weary hand over his eyes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Moved by a sudden impulse, Forsyth went
+into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him
+so as to be in the dark. The window commanded
+a view of the street, and the blind had
+not been drawn. Looking down, he saw a man
+sauntering on the opposite pavement, who
+presently coming under the rays of a street-lamp
+was revealed as Marker. Forsyth waited
+until the spy turned and slowly retraced his
+steps, and then went back into the sitting-room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have convinced me that there is something
+in all this," he said. "That fellow is
+mouching about outside."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'll go. I can't subject you to this sort of
+thing," said Beaumanoir, reaching for the new
+hat which he had purchased after his "accident."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But Forsyth pushed him back into his chair.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A duke isn't necessarily a fool," he said,
+roughly. "What you want most is a good
+sleep, and you shall have it—here in these
+rooms. Mr. Marker can't <em class="italics">know</em> that you are
+here, or he wouldn't have come to the door with
+that bogus yarn. Also, he is evidently not satisfied
+that you are <em class="italics">not</em> here, or he would have
+gone away. It remains to throw dust in his
+eyes and fool him a bit. Lord! how I wish my
+uncle, General Sadgrove, was with us!"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He seemed to me a trifle dull," remarked
+the Duke, inconsequently.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth made allowances, and did not answer.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"See here," he said, after a minute's reflection.
+"This is the plan to throw the spy off
+the scent. It's nine o'clock—just the hour
+when it would be quite natural for a bachelor
+to go to his club. I will stroll round to Northumberland
+Avenue, and drop into the Constitutional
+for an hour. In the meanwhile, do
+you stay here and lie low behind locked doors,
+and with gas turned down. That rascal will
+almost certainly retire to his employers baffled,
+for he would not think that I should go out and
+leave you alone."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That sounds promising," Beaumanoir assented.
+"But don't stay a moment longer
+than the hour, Alec. I don't think I could
+stand it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth reassured him, and having slipped
+into evening clothes and donned a light overcoat,
+he issued his final instructions. It was
+beginning to be natural to him now to take the
+lead, after that glimpse of the lurking figure
+in the light of the street-lamp. Beaumanoir
+was to lock and bolt himself in, and only open
+on hearing the password "<em class="italics">Rat</em>."</p>
+<p class="pnext">These matters arranged, Forsyth departed,
+and, after waiting until he heard the bolts shot,
+went down into the street, where the spy was
+still in evidence, prowling on the other side.
+He made no attempt to follow Forsyth, who,
+affecting not to notice him, walked rapidly the
+short distance to his club. There he remained
+in the smoking-room with what patience he
+could muster for the full hour, determined not
+to return till time enough had elapsed for Marker
+to come to the desired conclusion and act
+upon it.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was half-past ten when Forsyth set out
+to retrace his steps to John Street, and almost
+as soon as he entered that deserted thoroughfare
+he saw that the watcher was no longer at
+his post. Eager to relieve Beaumanoir from
+his solitary state of siege, he made all haste to
+the house, and was passing quickly through the
+entry when he heard footsteps on the landing
+above. A gas-jet was kept burning over the
+closed door of the wine-merchant's office, for
+the benefit of the resident tenants on the upper
+floors, so that he had a clear view of the
+straight stone stairs. Before he reached the
+latter two men came into view, hurriedly descending,
+and talking together in muffled
+undertones—one a gaunt, hungry-looking
+individual in the garb of a clergyman; the
+other, burly and bull-necked, dressed in shabby
+tweeds and bowler hat.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth stood aside at the stair-foot for
+them to pass, and then, moved by the furtive
+glances they turned back at him, he ran upstairs
+two steps at a time. He knew all his
+fellow-lodgers by sight; but these men were
+strangers, and he did not like the looks of the
+curiously assorted pair. On coming to the
+door of his rooms, he rapped and spoke the
+agreed signal, but something prompted him
+not to wait, and simultaneously he turned the
+handle. The door swung open at once, without
+any unbarring from within.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Where have you got to?" cried Forsyth,
+peering round the room, in which the gas
+burned low, just as he had left it.</p>
+<p class="pnext">There was no response; and with a sinking
+heart he turned on a full light and dashed into
+the bedroom, only to find that also vacant. The
+Duke of Beaumanoir had vanished from his
+refuge.</p>
+<p class="pnext">There was no doubt that he was in neither
+of the rooms. A hasty search put that beyond
+question. Instinctively Forsyth ran to the
+outer door and at once made the discovery—for
+which he was already prepared—that his
+chambers had been forcibly entered during his
+absence. The door had been wrenched open
+with a jemmy, and had simply been pulled to
+on the departure of the intruders. The shattered
+woodwork round the spring-lock told its
+own tale, though the mystery was increased by
+the fact that the old-fashioned bolts had been
+withdrawn.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But what of Beaumanoir?</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-viiithe-cut-panel">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id9">CHAPTER VIII—<em class="italics">The Cut Panel</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">In the famous white drawing-room at Beaumanoir
+House Sybil Hanbury was preparing
+to end a solitary evening by the simple process
+of going to bed. The butler, a martyr to punctilio,
+had insisted on lighting every jet in the
+chandeliers and in the sconces on the walls,
+with the result that the vast apartment scintillated
+like a ball-room, accentuating the loneliness
+of the black-clad little figure of its sole
+occupant.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil laid aside her book, and surveyed the
+splendid emptiness of the room with a smile of
+amusement for her monopoly of so much gorgeously
+upholstered space. But as she realized
+that her monopoly of the white drawing-room
+was only a detail in the much larger incongruity
+of her monopoly of the Piccadilly mansion,
+her face took a graver look.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I trust that the Vincents will be ready to
+take me in next week," she mused with a touch
+of impatience. "The idea of a score of servants and an acre of ducal palace being run
+for a simple body like me is too ridiculous,
+especially with the rightful owner ready to
+take possession."</p>
+<p class="pnext">She had been both puzzled and attracted by
+her cousin at General Sadgrove's that afternoon.
+As a child she had heard so much contemptuous
+obloquy poured on the absent ne'er-do-well
+that, in spite of his generosity to Alec
+Forsyth and his consideration for herself, she
+had been prepared to cling to the old prejudice.
+It had, however, at once broken down
+under the pathetic plea for friendship which
+she had discerned in the Duke's troubled eyes,
+for her womanly insight told her that the new
+head of the family was under the influence of
+a mental strain almost amounting to physical
+distress.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He looks like a man sitting on an infernal
+machine, listening to the tick-tack of the clock-work,"
+she reflected. "Yet I don't think he's
+wicked, or the sort of person with a past likely
+to fly up and hit him in the face. I wish I
+knew what he is grizzling about, so that Alec
+and I could do him a good turn in exchange
+for his benevolence."</p>
+<p class="pnext">She had risen with the intention of retiring
+to her own room, when the butler entered hurriedly,
+and with traces of well-disciplined agitation
+on his episcopal countenance. Mr.
+Prince had grown gray in the ducal service;
+but, beyond a slight fatherliness of manner, he
+did not presume on the fact towards the orphan
+scion of the great house.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I really don't know, Miss, if I ought to disturb
+you so late on such a matter," he said.
+"Two men have called to see his Grace, and,
+failing him, insisted on my ascertaining if you
+would receive them."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I know nothing of the Duke's affairs, and
+I am just going up to bed," Sybil replied,
+wondering at the usually correct retainer's excitement.
+"Besides, Prince, 'insist' is rather a
+curious word to use here," she added with a
+trace of asperity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I should not have ventured to repeat such
+an objectionable phrase, Miss, if it had not
+been used with a sort of authority," the butler
+hastened to put himself right. "I ought to
+have mentioned that they are Scotland Yard
+detectives, which accounts for my being a bit
+flurried."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil promptly sat down again and bade
+Prince show the visitors in. She had no desire
+to pry into her cousin's business, nor did her
+reception of the police-officers imply any such
+intention. But at that moment her preconceived
+notion that the Duke was the center of
+a mystery took definite shape, and she was
+above all things loyal to the house. She decided
+that in her cousin's interest it would be
+wiser to see these men, and, if possible, fore-arm
+herself with a knowledge of their designs.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But when Prince returned it was to usher in
+not two men, but only one—a cadaverous,
+middle-aged person in the garb of a clergyman,
+who waited obsequiously near the door
+while his card was presented by the butler.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I found when I got back into the hall that
+he'd sent the other man away, Miss—said there
+was no need for two of them to intrude upon
+you," explained Prince in an undertone.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil nodded, but the furtive glances of the
+clerically dressed visitor caused her to call
+Prince back as he was retiring.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I trust you didn't leave them alone in the
+hall?" she whispered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh, dear, no, Miss; William, the second
+footman, was on duty in the hall while I came
+to you," was the reply, uttered in a slightly
+injured tone.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Prince having taken a dignified departure,
+Sybil beckoned forward the individual whom
+his card proclaimed to be "Inspector Chantrey,
+Criminal Investigation Department." He
+advanced with a shambling walk and with
+deprecating gestures in keeping with his disguise;
+but Sybil formed the opinion that all
+his nervousness was not simulated. It struck
+her that he was listening intently as he
+threaded his way through the priceless Louis
+Seize garniture of the white drawing-room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He stood before her at last, for all the world
+like a half-famished wolf in the presence of a
+very wide-awake and dainty lamb that had not
+the least intention of being devoured. He
+spoke hurriedly—almost perfunctorily, as
+though he set no great store by his questions
+or the answers to them; and all the time that
+listening attitude was noticeable.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I called in the hope of finding his Grace at
+home," he began, with a half-note of interrogation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, the butler will have told you that he
+is not at home," said Sybil sharply.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"True; but servants are not always reliable,
+and I thought I had better see one of the
+family. Might I ask if the Duke is expected
+here to-night?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No, he isn't. What do you want him for?"
+snapped Sybil.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The <em class="italics">aplomb</em> of the question seemed to take
+the inquisitor back. He glanced curiously at
+the girl in the high-backed arm-chair, first
+scanning her tenacious little face, but quickly
+dropping his shifty eyes to the carelessly
+crossed shoes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He began to "hem" and "ha."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The fact of the matter is, we have had a
+communication from the county police at
+Prior's Tarrant, in respect of an assault on
+one of the servants in the park yesterday. The
+local people think the attack may have been
+intended for the Duke, and they have wired us
+to make inquiries."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The reason alleged for his visit sounded
+plausible, and in some degree might account
+for the hunted look she had surprised in the
+Duke's eyes. Yet she was not altogether satisfied.
+It was conceivable that the police should
+want to question the Duke, but the excuse for
+intruding on her at such an hour hardly seemed
+adequate.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am still at a loss to see how I can be of
+service to you in a matter of which I know
+nothing," she said, not attempting to keep the
+suspicion out of her voice.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I only desired to make sure, madam, that
+the Duke was not at home. Having obtained
+that assurance from the fountain-head, pray
+permit me to withdraw," was the nervously
+spoken reply, punctuated by an awkward bow
+and the commencement of a hurried retreat.
+But the visitor had only taken three steps
+down the long vista of the room when the door
+was flung open, and Prince announced, with
+the air of one who springs a surprise:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"His Grace the Duke!"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir was very pale, but he advanced
+without hesitation, meeting Sibyl's interrogator
+half-way up the room. Startled as she
+was by her cousin's unexpected appearance,
+the girl intuitively rose and went forward,
+vaguely conscious of a desire to hear if the
+man repeated the same tale.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, sir?" said the Duke, curtly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil hardly knew whether or no she was
+relieved when, word for word, the man repeated
+the reason he had just given her for his
+call. Watching her cousin's face, she saw the
+pallor yield to a flush of evident annoyance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh, yes; something of the kind occurred in
+the park at Prior's Tarrant," he angrily replied.
+"But all this about the man being mistaken
+for me is officious nonsense—too trivial
+to warrant your pushing your way into this
+young lady's presence at eleven o'clock at
+night. I shall complain to your superiors of
+this most impertinent intrusion."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What could it mean?" Sybil asked herself.
+The man's nervous air—his attitude of
+listening—had disappeared. His sly face
+grew sleekly impudent under Beaumanoir's
+rebuke and it was quite jauntily that he answered:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then I'll bid your Grace good-night. Very
+possibly you'll reconsider the advisability of
+raising the question at Scotland Yard."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The clerical coat-tails went flapping down
+the room, the Duke following them to the door,
+where he handed their owner over to Prince,
+who was hovering in the hall. Having given
+a sharp order to "show the gentleman out,"
+Beaumanoir returned to Sybil, humbly apologetic,
+but with signs of haste in his manner.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear cousin, I am more than annoyed
+at Prince's laxity in admitting that fellow,"
+he said, taking her hand. "It is fortunate that
+I chanced to look in in the hope of finding you
+up, and so was able to rid you of him. I came
+to leave a message for Alec in case he calls
+presently."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But Alec is the pink of propriety," exclaimed
+Sibyl, laughing in spite of herself.
+"He doesn't call on an unprotected damsel,
+even if he is engaged to her, at eleven o'clock
+at night."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nevertheless, I believe that he will call here
+very shortly; and I should like him to be told
+that I am all right, and, in fact, that I am
+going out of town for a few days to the sea-side.
+I will communicate with him when I
+want him to enter on his secretarial duties.
+That is all, I think. I must really be off now."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But Sybil would not at once take his proffered
+hand. She remembered that he had
+mentioned that he was to spend the night at
+Alec's chambers, and this sudden derangement
+of plans, coupled with the lurking suggestion
+in his message, was, to say the least of it, mysterious.
+Looking into the tired eyes, she found
+again that expression of sleepless worry that
+had puzzled her. Why should it be necessary
+for this young man, newly come to great
+wealth and station, to notify his friend so
+feverishly that he was "all right," and in the
+same breath announce his retreat from London
+to some vague destination—not to his own
+country-seat?</p>
+<p class="pnext">"As you expect Alec here, wouldn't it be
+better to wait for him?" she urged; adding
+naïvely, "I could even offer you a bed, if you
+would condescend to make yourself at home in
+your own house."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But Beaumanoir was in no mood to perceive
+the humor of the situation. He was clearly
+fidgeting to be gone, and Sybil could only conclude
+that he wanted to be gone before Alec
+arrived. With a girl's faith in her lover's
+power to surmount most difficulties, she decided
+to try and detain her cousin as long as
+possible; but her diplomacy was not called into
+play. Prince, now wearing an air of mild
+protest at all these excursions and alarums,
+appeared in the doorway to announce:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mr. Forsyth."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir was evidently disconcerted at
+not having made his exit in time; and Sybil,
+recognizing that there was something between
+the two men not for her ears, tactfully withdrew
+to the other end of the room, after smiling
+a greeting to her lover. She thought none
+the worse of him because he was too preoccupied
+to return it. She was beginning to discern
+an undercurrent of serious import beneath the
+happenings of the past half-hour.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What made you break cover, old chap?
+You've given me a pretty scare," said Forsyth
+to the Duke. "When I found you'd gone, I
+came on here on the off-chance."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I didn't think it fair to subject you to the
+sort of night you might have had with me as
+an inmate, so I cleared out," Beaumanoir replied,
+wearily. "I guessed you'd inquire here,
+so I called in to leave word that I was all right—up
+to date."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You were not molested before quitting my
+chambers?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No. Why do you ask?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Because the place has been visited; it must
+have been after you left," said Forsyth,
+gravely. And he went on to relate how he had
+found the door broken open, and how he had
+met two suspicious-looking men on the stairs,
+one dressed as a clergyman and the other in
+shabby tweeds.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Dressed as a clergyman?" cried Beaumanoir,
+startled into forgetfulness of Sybil's
+presence in the room. "Then, Alec, I have
+stood face to face with death in this house not
+ten minutes ago. I found your sham parson
+here, professing to be an official detective; but
+I doubted him from the first."</p>
+<p class="pnext">His raised tones reached Sybil, who realized
+that the house of Beaumanoir was confronted
+by no ordinary emergency. What the peril
+could be that threatened her noble relative she
+had no means of knowing, or any wish to
+know; but the Duke's description of himself
+as standing "face to face with death" amid the
+seeming security of his own white drawing-room
+touched her with the icy hand of unknown
+dread, and, moreever, filled her with a
+sense of responsibility. The man who was not
+safe under the dazzling lights of that splendid
+apartment, with a host of servants within call,
+was going forth into all the insecurity of the
+London streets at midnight because, her instinct
+told her, he would not expose her to the
+same danger.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Her cousin's chivalry appealed not only to
+her loyalty to the house, but to that protective
+impulse which springs readily in every woman's
+heart.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I couldn't help overhearing you," she said,
+coming forward. "I, too, doubted that man—very strongly. I am sure he meant no good.
+But what I want to say, Cousin Charles, is
+that you must remain here to-night. If you
+go out of the house, I shall go also."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth shot a grateful look at her.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The best possible plan," he said, quickly.
+"Now, don't be obstinate, Duke. The man has
+left the premises, I presume? Good! That
+being so, we shall be a poor lot if we can't
+prevent his getting in again, which he is hardly
+likely to attempt. There is nothing to hinder
+you from spending a quiet night here, without
+the slightest risk of unpleasantness either to
+Sybil or to yourself, and in the morning you
+and I can talk over your future movements at
+leisure."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And I quite meant what I said," Sybil
+added, firmly. "If you won't stay here, you
+will put me to the inconvenience of turning out
+and going to an hotel at twelve o'clock at
+night. I have no intention of being forced into
+the horrid feeling that I am keeping you from
+the shelter of your own roof."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Under the pleading of the two pairs of
+kindly eyes turned on him Beaumanoir wavered.
+The chance of sleep and rest was
+tempting. He stepped to the door, and found
+Prince in the great entrance-hall.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That man who called himself a detective
+has gone?" he inquired. "You are sure there
+is no mistake about it? You showed him to the
+door yourself, and saw him out?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And secured the door immediately afterwards,
+your Grace. Mr. Forsyth will bear me
+out in that; I had to withdraw the bolts to
+admit him."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir returned to the drawing-room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are both very good, and I will stay
+for to-night only," he assented. "I wish I
+could make the explanation I owe you, but—well,
+I am the victim of circumstances."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The explanation will keep," said Forsyth,
+bluntly. "May I stay too?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The permission was, of course, accorded,
+and Sybil bade them good-night and retired
+to her room, giving orders on the way for two
+adjoining bedrooms to be prepared for them.
+The two men went into the smoking-room for
+a whisky and cigarette while the rooms were
+being got ready; but each with tacit consent
+avoided the topic of the moment. The one
+idea in Alec's mind was to let Beaumanoir
+have a good sleep, and persuade him into a
+serious discussion in the morning.</p>
+<p class="pnext">They parted at the door of their bedrooms
+on the first floor, where the late Duke's valet,
+who was still in the house, had done everything
+possible to cope with the sudden emergency.
+Pajamas had been routed out, and toilet requisites
+provided. The windows of both rooms
+looked out over the ceaseless traffic of Piccadilly,
+so that no danger could be apprehended
+from that quarter; yet Forsyth sat for a long
+time before turning in to bed. In his ignorance
+of what was the source of the Duke's
+danger, he had been loath to excite remark
+among the servants by fussing about the
+proper locking up of the mansion; but the
+stately tread of Prince going his rounds reassured
+him on that point, and eventually he
+slept.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the meanwhile, Sybil, in her room at the
+other end of the same corridor, was finding a
+still greater difficulty in composing herself to
+rest. The events of the evening, in such startling
+contrast with the normal calm of the dignified
+establishment that had been her home,
+had unsettled—not to say alarmed—her, and
+she felt no inclination to the lace-edged pillow
+that usually wooed her to willing slumbers.
+She was a sound, healthy girl, untroubled by
+nerves; but she felt a singular need for alertness,
+unreasonable perhaps, but imperative.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke's anxiety to make sure that the
+clerically dressed individual had really left the
+house had impressed her; and now, too late for
+inquiry, she remembered that she had omitted
+to mention that <em class="italics">two</em> men had called, one of
+them not having been shown into her presence.
+The latter, Prince had said, had been dismissed
+by his colleague; but his departure had only
+been witnessed by William, the second footman—a
+dreamy servant at the best of times,
+and unreliable by reason of a hopeless attachment
+to the senior housemaid. The thought
+thrilled Sybil that the other man, having hoodwinked
+the footman, might still be in the
+house, concealed in one of the many unused
+rooms.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The idea of a lurking prowler, biding his
+time in the stillness of the sleeping household,
+kept her wakeful. Once or twice she looked
+out into the corridor; but the flicker of her
+candle only showed two rows of closed doors,
+without a sign of life, and each time she went
+back and tried to fix her attention on a book.
+So the night dragged into the small hours; and
+about three o'clock, after a longer interval
+than before, she determined to take one more
+peep and then get into bed.</p>
+<p class="pnext">She had already grasped the door-handle,
+when she withdrew her hand as though it had
+been stung by an adder. A faint scrooping
+sound told her that someone was doing something
+in the corridor, and half a minute's
+strained listening told her that, whatever that
+something was, it was persistent and continuous.
+It went on and on, like the drone of a
+bee in a bottle.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Silently crossing the room, she turned down
+her gas to a pin-point and blew out the candle
+with which she had intended to investigate.
+Then she returned to the door, and, opening it
+noiselessly, tiptoed into the outer darkness.
+Here the sound, though still faint, was more
+distinctly audible, and she was able to locate it
+at the door of the room occupied by the Duke.
+The discovery left her no time for fear, or even
+for conjecture. There was only one thing to
+be done—to rouse Alec and the Duke, but
+without, till that supreme moment, alarming
+the unseen manipulator at her cousin's door.
+Thus would she narrow the time at the disposal
+of that mysterious person for revising his
+plans and effecting his escape.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The thick pile carpet made for silence, and
+she stole quietly along the broad passage,
+touching and counting the doors till she
+reached that of Forsyth's room—only a few
+feet from the gentle buz-buz that had attracted
+her attention, and only a few feet from someone
+stealthily at work in the dark. A steady
+snore from the interior of the Duke's chamber
+explained his complacence under that uncanny
+tampering with his approaches.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Again giving herself no time for fear, Sybil
+beat a rat-tat on Forsyth's door, calling him
+by name. The sound at the next door immediately
+ceased, an instant of intense silence following,
+and then almost simultaneously two
+things happened. An iron grip settled on the
+girl's wrist, just as Forsyth flung open the
+door of his room, in which he had wisely turned
+the gas full on as he leaped out of bed. The
+light streamed into the corridor and shone
+upon a man in shabby tweeds and bowler hat,
+who was holding Sybil, but not so hampered
+that he was prevented from drawing a revolver
+and aiming straight at Forsyth's head.</p>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 29%; width: 41%" id="figure-9">
+<span id="the-procession-of-three-led-by-the-stranger"/><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="The procession of three led by the stranger." src="images/illus3.jpg" width="100%"/>
+<div class="caption italics">
+"The procession of three led by the stranger."</div>
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst">Whether he intended to fire or offer an ultimatum was not demonstrated, for before he
+could do either he was taken in the rear and
+found himself a target. There stood the Duke
+in his pajamas, with a handy little Smith and
+Wesson not a foot from the intruder's temples,
+and with his left hand significantly extended.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Give me that pistol," he said, sternly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir was dealing with a tangible foe
+at last, and with a thrill of racial pride Sybil
+noted the light of battle in her relative's eye.
+It was, therefore, more than a shock to her
+when the Duke, having relieved the tweed-coated
+lurker of his weapon, calmly added:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now, sir, if you will be good enough to
+march in front of me down to the front door,
+I will let you out. You two," he continued,
+addressing Sybil and Forsyth in the same
+quiet tones, "will greatly oblige me by not raising
+any alarm or disturbing the servants while
+I am gone."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am coming downstairs with you," said
+Forsyth, drily.</p>
+<p class="pnext">When the procession of three, led by the
+stranger with a brace of pistols at his head,
+had filed off to the grand staircase, Sybil ran
+back to her room and fetched her candle. An
+inspection of the Duke's door showed that a
+panel had been partially cut out with a watch-spring
+saw, which was still sticking in the
+almost invisible fissure.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ixthe-strategy-of-the-general">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id10">CHAPTER IX—<em class="italics">The Strategy of the General</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">Some five hours later General Sadgrove, at
+his house in Grosvenor Gardens, was taking
+his morning tub, when a servant tapped at the
+door of the bathroom and informed him that
+Mr. Alec Forsyth wanted to see him very
+urgently. The General as speedily as possible
+donned his dressing-gown and descended to
+his sanctum. His keen eyes just glanced at
+the troubled face of the young man standing
+on the hearth-rug; then, in his laconic way, he
+asked:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What's wrong, laddie? Your chum Beaumanoir
+been in the wars?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth favored him with a startled stare,
+and then broke into an uneasy laugh.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You seem to have been exercising your
+faculty of second-sight already, Uncle Jem,"
+he said.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The man was being <em class="italics">stalked</em>," said the General.
+"Has anyone caught him?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very nearly," replied Forsyth; and he proceeded to narrate the events of the night, and
+also what Beaumanoir had told him of the previous
+attempts on his life. At mention of the
+Duke's absolute refusal to disclose the cause
+of the vendetta and to invoke the protection
+of the police, General Sadgrove drew a long
+breath. On hearing that he had in the small
+hours of that morning, thanks to the vigilance
+of Sybil Hanbury, held one of his would-be
+assassins at his mercy, but had quietly escorted
+him to the door and let him go, the whilom
+hunter of Dacoits uttered inarticulate grunts.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And now, Uncle Jem, I have come to you
+for help," Forsyth proceeded earnestly. "I
+have persuaded the Duke to permit me to tell
+you in strictest confidence as much as he has
+told me, and I think if you can make any suggestions
+for baffling these unknown malefactors
+that he will adopt them—always provided
+your advice does not entail going to the police.
+He has given me his word of honor to remain
+at Beaumanoir House until I return; but the
+odds are they'll have another shy at him
+directly he pokes his nose outside."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General had been absently toying with
+a tray of Indian curios, but he now looked
+sharply up at his nephew.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are not exactly blind, Alec, and can
+read between the lines," he said. "Reluctance
+on the part of a man threatened with murder
+to communicate with the authorities must
+mean that he has got an ugly sort of secret
+himself."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You know his record, sir. Charles Hanbury
+was never anyone's enemy but his own,
+and I expect the Duke of Beaumanoir is much
+the same," replied Forsyth with a warmth
+which left the General quite unmoved. The
+old warrior reverted to his curios and spent a
+couple of minutes in balancing an Afghan
+dagger on his finger, till, apparently inspired
+by the performance, he laid the venomous
+blade aside.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I agree with you in one aspect of the case,"
+he said. "An insurance company, knowing
+what we know, would be ill-advised to take a
+risk on his Grace's life. The chances are in
+favor of his being a dead man within twenty-four
+hours of his quitting his present shelter.
+I presume that precautions have been taken
+against any more bogus detectives, or bogus
+anything else, gaining access to him during
+your absence?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth replied that the Duke had promised
+to remain in his own room till he returned, and
+that the butler had been instructed to admit no
+one into the house on any pretence whatever.
+Moreover, he added, with a proud note in his
+voice, Sybil was co-operating, and was thoroughly
+alive to the emergency.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then," said the General, briskly, "I will
+finish dressing, and when we have had a mouthful
+of breakfast I will go back with you to
+Beaumanoir House. We must get your Duke
+into the interior of a safer zariba than a Piccadilly
+mansion before we can open parallel
+trenches against such a persistent enemy."</p>
+<p class="pnext">General Sadgrove and Alec breakfasted
+alone together, the former, indeed, hurrying
+the meal purposely so as to get away before
+the ladies appeared. He had seen enough the
+previous day, when the Duke was calling on
+the Shermans, to make him shy of explaining
+to his guests that he was bound for Beaumanoir
+House at nine o'clock in the morning,
+both Mrs. Sherman and Leonie being aware
+that his acquaintance with the Duke only dated
+from yesterday. He shrewdly suspected that
+the young people who had been fellow-passengers
+on the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em> took more than a platonic
+interest in each other, and he did not want to
+stimulate that interest into anxiety until he was
+better informed.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He pursued the subject apologetically as
+soon as he was in the cab with his nephew.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Sorry I made you bolt your food," he said.
+"I hate lying to women if it can be avoided.
+The Shermans, who are staying with me, know
+Beaumanoir—traveled in the same ship with
+him. It would have excited remark to mention
+our destination."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth, who had experience of his uncle's
+methods, perceived that he was being pumped,
+and he had no objection. Having summoned
+this wily man-hunter to his assistance, he was
+not foolish enough to expect results without
+full disclosure.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I understand your reluctance to disturb the
+Shermans," he replied. "Beaumanoir has
+spoken several times about them—in fact, he
+seemed rather unduly excited when he first
+heard from me that they were at your house.
+I have thought that he might be <em class="italics">épris</em> of
+Leonie, though, as I have not seen them together,
+I can form no opinion whether the
+attraction is mutual."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General, having acquired his information,
+relapsed into silence, which was only
+broken by Forsyth as the cab turned into Piccadilly.
+The short drive was nearly over, but
+before the cab stopped he contrived to describe
+briefly his chance meeting with the Duke, on
+the day of the latter's arrival in England, at
+the Hotel Cecil, and with an effort of memory
+he recalled the name of the man—Clinton Ziegler—whom
+the Duke had been to see.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I dare say it's not important, but it just
+occurred to me that I had better mention it
+while there was an opportunity," he concluded,
+stealing a sidelong glance at his uncle's face,
+which, as usual, was illegible. But a movement
+of the General's well-gloved right hand
+in the direction of his left shirt-cuff, coupled
+with the gleam of a gold pencil-case, suggested
+that the name of Mr. Clinton Ziegler had been
+deemed worthy of record.</p>
+<p class="pnext">They were admitted to the ducal residence
+by Prince, whose dignity barely enabled him
+to stifle the inward curiosity with which he was
+devoured. In common with the other servants,
+he had not been told of the midnight alarm,
+and his orders to put the house practically into
+a state of siege had naturally mystified him.
+The damage to the bedroom door was not visible
+except under close examination, and Sybil
+having swept up the sawdust, none of the
+household had yet discovered it.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No one has called, sir, except one or two
+of the usuals to the tradesmen's entrance, and
+they were kept outside," the butler remarked
+as he relieved the two gentlemen of their hats
+and canes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At Forsyth's request they were shown into
+the smoking-room—a cozy den, with only one
+window overlooking Piccadilly, to which the
+General immediately walked. His gaze roved
+over the crowded thoroughfare, comprehending
+pedestrians and passing vehicles in one
+swift scrutiny, and, apparently satisfied, he
+turned away just as Sybil entered, looking as
+fresh and sprightly as though she had slept the
+clock round. The General greeted her in the
+curt manner he affected to all women impartially,
+but an extra pressure of her hand may
+have had reference to her vigilant gallantry.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"His Grace is sulking," she said, with a
+smile. "At least, he refuses to leave his room
+until he has seen you, General Sadgrove. I
+tapped at his door and told him you were here,
+but he said that if you want to see him you had
+better go upstairs. Very rude of him, isn't
+it?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very sensible," replied the General. "I
+would prefer to see him alone, if you will be so
+good as to escort me, Miss Hanbury. Alec,"
+he added, "while I am gone just sit on this ottoman
+behind the window-curtain and keep
+your eye on that apple-woman under the railings
+of the Green Park. When I come back,
+be prepared to tell me exactly what she has
+done and how many customers she has had."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth nodded, and the General went
+away with Sybil, who conducted him up the
+grand staircase and left him at the door of the
+Duke's room. It was characteristic of the
+man that, having heard all there was to hear
+of her proceedings from his nephew, he forbore
+to waste words on what had occurred, but
+dismissed her with an injunction.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now run away and help Alec, but don't let
+the apple-woman know that those sharp eyes
+are observing her," he said, unbending so far
+as to give her a playful push.</p>
+<p class="pnext">His knock and mention of his name was followed
+by the sound of footsteps as the occupant
+of the room remembered that he had
+turned the key and hastened to admit the visitor.
+Beaumanoir was fully dressed, and had
+just finished breakfast.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Don't think me a coward for locking the
+door, General," he said, as he shook hands.
+"This is a pretty bad gang that I am dodging."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General's comment was to turn and re-lock
+the door himself, after a critical glance at
+the sawn panel. "I have spent my life in
+breaking up bad gangs," he said, when he had
+taken the chair indicated. "I am a bit rusty
+with disuse, but I should very much like to try
+conclusions with this one. From what I hear,
+they must be worthy of anyone's steel."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir indulged in a careworn smile.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Three attempts in forty-eight hours speaks
+to their zeal, at any rate," he replied. "But
+seriously, General, you start badly handicapped,"
+he went on. "I don't even know
+that I want them broken up, as you call it, for
+there must be no publicity. I can give you
+no clues nor answer any questions. All I ask
+of your great experience is how to thwart a
+determined hankering after my poor life—a
+hankering which may possibly cease if I survive
+for another week."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You positively decline to give me any assistance?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Positively; the honor of my house forbids
+it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General tried to look pensive—a difficult
+matter to a gentleman of iron visage and
+bushy eyebrows.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am not going to ask questions," he said
+almost plaintively, without mentioning that
+there were some he had no need to ask and
+others which he fully intended to answer himself.
+"I am here to give advice, and it is to
+get out of London into the open, so that your
+friends can look after you. Professors of
+crime find their art more difficult in the country,
+where every gossiping woman in the village
+street is a possible witness. I want your
+Grace to go down to Prior's Tarrant, and
+allow me the honor of accompanying you as a
+guest."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The suggestion was met by a blank negative,
+and caused the Duke to rise and pace the
+room in more agitation than he had yet shown.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Why, the very place is hateful to me since
+last Sunday night," he exclaimed. "You
+would realize that yourself, General, if you
+had been introduced to those silent fumes stealing
+down the chimney. I was thinking of
+going to some hotel by the sea when Forsyth
+and Sibyl induced me to remain here for the
+night, with such lively consequences. Come
+with me as my guest anywhere else, but not to
+Prior's Tarrant."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nevertheless, I should feel surer of your
+safety there than anywhere, and I do not speak
+without reason," replied the General, with a
+metallic snap in his voice. "I should wish at
+least to be accorded the privilege of finishing
+my proposition."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir promptly apologized very
+gracefully for his discourteous interruption,
+excusing it on the score of the strain on his
+nerves. He would be delighted to listen to
+any proposals, but nothing would shake his determination
+not to go back to Prior's Tarrant.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear sir, the tangled woodland of the
+park there is the ideal spot for a lurking assassin.
+Mediæval architecture provided the house
+with nooks and corners which it would tax
+even your foresight to patrol," he insisted.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But," said the General, "there is safety in
+numbers; and I was going to propose—rather
+coolly, perhaps—that you should have a house-party
+there. If I might bring Mrs. Sadgrove,
+and Alec and Sybil Hanbury would also give
+us their company, it would lend color to my
+own presence. The last two-named, as you
+have occasion to know, form a valuable body-guard."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke stared at his visitor with something
+like horrified amazement.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You forget, General, in your kind eagerness
+to serve me, that you have guests staying
+in your own house whom you cannot desert,"
+he said, wondering how even an old man with
+his years behind him could suffer such lapse of
+memory when Leonie Sherman was one of the
+guests. He was almost angry that his visitor,
+being thus reminded, did not instantly abase
+himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But instead of shame General Sadgrove
+had only justification to offer—not profuse,
+because that was not his way—but complete.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I had not forgotten the Shermans," he replied,
+in a tone of oddly contrasted reproof
+and apology. "I had it in my mind that if
+you entertained my view you would stretch a
+point, and make matters easy for me by inviting
+my guests as well." And the shrewd old
+diplomatist succeeded in looking as though the
+barefaced bait he was dangling was a piece of
+effrontery he only dared moot under stress of
+the emergency.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir, flushing scarlet, stopped short
+in his restless pacing and swallowed the hook.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I never thought of that," he said, looking
+down at the General with more interest than
+he had yet shown. "And," he added, with unaffected
+modesty, "I very much doubt if they
+would come."</p>
+<p class="pnext">This was virtual surrender, and the General
+had an easy task to brush away objections obviously
+raised in the hopes of their demolition.
+Short notice? Well, perhaps; but Americans
+were used to a less formal hospitality than
+ours, and would take it as a compliment.
+Brief shipboard acquaintance? Nonsense.
+Five days' association on a "liner" was equivalent
+to a friendship of years. The chance of
+the Shermans being involved in a tragedy in
+which they had no concern? The General
+pledged his word that, whatever happened at
+Prior's Tarrant, no harm should befall the
+Senator's wife and daughter or breath of scandal
+assail them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Before he left the room the General had arranged
+to return later in the day, possibly
+bringing with him his Pathan servant, Azimoolah Khan, whose aid he meant to enlist in
+securing the Duke's safety at his country-seat.
+In the meanwhile, he would go home and prepare
+the ladies for joining the party on the
+morrow, Beaumanoir's formal invitations following
+by post.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On his way down the broad staircase General
+Sadgrove chuckled audibly to himself: "I
+thought the prospect of entertaining Leonie
+in his ancestral halls would fetch him.
+Mustn't have her falling in love with him,
+though, till he can show a clean sheet." A
+little lower down he stopped and stared at a
+huge canvas of the third Duke, but without
+heeding the bewigged and lace-ruffled counterfeit
+of the Georgian courtier. "Concentration!"
+he muttered. "The first axiom in a
+crime-problem is to concentrate the items. I
+shall have two of 'em now, by George, right
+under the same blanket—and with luck I'll
+have three."</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the hall Prince was hovering fatuously,
+assisted by a brace of tall flunkeys who fell
+under the General's critical gaze. One of
+them was the absent-minded William, all unconscious
+that he had allowed "Inspector
+Chantrey's" understudy to slip upstairs the
+night before. Him Sadgrove severely rejected,
+selecting his colleague.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"There's an apple-woman under the rails
+opposite," he said, producing a sovereign.
+"Run across and offer this for her basket and
+its contents. If she refuses, the chances are
+that she will almost immediately move away.
+In that case, if you can follow her a little distance,
+without letting her observe you, bring
+me back word directly she stops and speaks to
+anyone."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The well-trained servant, with scarcely the
+blink of an eyelash for his extraordinary mission,
+started to fulfil it, and the General hastened
+on to the smoking-room, where Forsyth
+and Sybil were still on guard at the window.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Has the woman been doing any business?"
+he asked as he entered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She has only had one customer, who got
+off a Hammersmith 'bus and walked on," replied
+Sybil, without removing her gaze. "And
+now—why, it's one of our liveries—Steptoe,
+the first footman, is going up to her. Oh, but
+this is interesting. He is offering her a coin,
+and she is shaking her head."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Go on," said the General.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Steptoe is recrossing the road towards the
+house without buying anything, and—yes, the
+woman has taken up her basket and is leaving
+her pitch, don't you call it? She too is crossing
+to this side of the road, but higher up. Steptoe
+has turned and is looking after her, and—now
+I can't see any more without putting my
+head out of window."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil stopped, breathless; and, without comment
+on the episode she had just witnessed, the
+General informed her and Forsyth of the proposed
+move to Prior's Tarrant. As was to be
+expected, neither of the engaged couple had
+any objection to an arrangement which would
+bring them together under the same roof,
+Sybil remarking naïvely that it was one thing
+to be allowed solitary house-room as a poor
+relation, and quite another to stay with the
+Duke as a guest. She promised to hold herself
+in readiness to join Mrs. Sadgrove and
+the Shermans on the morrow and go down
+with them, while Forsyth was to wait for his
+orders until the General returned in the afternoon.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"We may have a ticklish job in getting our
+noble convoy from one laager to the other, and
+I shall want you as an aide-de-camp, Alec, as
+well as Azimoolah Khan for the more serious
+work," the General explained.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Azimoolah!" Forsyth exclaimed, remembering
+certain blood-curdling stories of his
+uncle's old orderly, who had exchanged the
+fierce joys of Thug-hunting for the milder enjoyment
+of valeting his beloved Sahib in Belgravia.
+"Surely his methods smack too much
+of the jungle and the nullah for this country."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's why I want to cart the whole bag
+of tricks into the jungle," said the General,
+grimly. "Well?" he added, as Steptoe entered
+and tendered the sovereign on a salver.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The woman wouldn't take it, sir," was the
+reply. "She got up and went round the corner
+into Air Street, where she was met by the
+person who called here last night dressed as a
+clergyman, only he was dressed as a working-man
+to-day. They went away together in a
+four-wheeler."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thank you—that simplifies things considerably,"
+said the General, and, announcing his
+intention of returning later, he bade the footman
+call a cab and followed him out of the
+room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I wonder what he has got up his sleeve,"
+Forsyth mused aloud, as he and Sibyl watched
+the wiry figure into the cab. "The spirit of
+the chase has gripped him tight, and he's in
+full cry already."</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xa-duty-call">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id11">CHAPTER X—<em class="italics">A Duty Call</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">General Sadgrove was not the man to
+embark on an undertaking without clearing
+the ground of doubtful points, and he drove
+home by way of New Scotland Yard, where,
+firmly refusing his reasons for wanting to
+know, he extracted the information that there
+was no such officer as "Inspector Chantrey"
+on the police roster. On arrival at Grosvenor
+Gardens he first sought and obtained a private
+interview with his wife, and astonished her by
+imparting the projected visit to Prior's Tarrant.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You are at the old work, Jem; I can see it
+in your eye," she said after one glance at her
+husband's stern, introspective face. "Is there
+danger?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"To me possibly; to another certainly," the
+General responded. "In fact, Madge, it is
+touch and go whether I can save a man's life.
+I do not know yet if he is a good man, but his
+life is an important one."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then of course I will go with you," said
+Mrs. Sadgrove, guessing whose that life was
+from Alec Forsyth's early call. "The Shermans,
+dear people, will be delighted to stay in
+a duke's historic mansion, even if the invitation
+is a little irregular, for are they not Americans?
+I will go to the morning-room and
+break it to them."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Without a hint of what is brewing, mind,"
+said the General, and vanished into his own
+den. He sat for a while in thought, and presently
+rang the bell. It was answered by a tall
+Oriental in native costume and turban, who
+made low obeisance, but listlessly, as though
+bored to death. As he straightened himself,
+however, his coal-black eyes, raised deferentially
+to his master's, blazed into sudden fire.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Allah be praised! The black tribe walks
+again!" he cried in his vernacular, reading the
+sign as easily as Mrs. Sadgrove had done.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, Azimoolah, the black tribe walks.
+We go to pit cunning against cunning and
+right against wrong, you and I, as in the days
+when we rode the jungle-paths under the Indian
+moon," the General replied in the same
+tongue. "Art glib of speech and handy with
+those iron arms of thine, as in the old times
+when we earned our pensions beyond the black
+water?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Try me, sahib—only try me," came the
+quick answer. "I have feared that I was
+growing fat and soft in this city of laziness,
+where the tame <em class="italics">polis</em> use not the ways known
+to you and me, O leader of midnight pursuits.
+But that look in your eye brings back the old
+heart-hunger. I want a quarry, sahib, fleet
+of foot and strong of arm and wily of tongue,
+to match with all those of thine and mine.
+Show me such an one, sahib."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"So will I, Azimoolah—not one, but twenty
+quarries, maybe, whom it will tax all our ancient
+skill to defeat," said the General, with a
+frosty smile for his follower's eagerness.
+"Take heed while I give orders."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The conclave that ensued lasted until
+luncheon, at which it was noticed, though not
+remarked upon, by Mrs. Sadgrove that Azimoolah
+Khan did not as usual station himself
+behind his master's chair. The General, too,
+made no reference to his retainer's absence,
+but plunged at once into a totally unfounded
+explanation of the wholesale invitation to
+Prior's Tarrant. The Duke of Beaumanoir,
+he averred, wished to be kind to his young
+kinswoman, Sybil Hanbury, by asking her
+down while Alec Forsyth was there, and as
+that was impossible without a chaperon, he,
+the General, had suggested a small house-party
+with Mrs. Sadgrove and Mrs. Sherman
+to play propriety.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Sherman evinced unfeigned delight at
+the prospect, her only anxiety being as to the
+length of the visit. Her husband, the Senator,
+with his precious charge of Treasury
+Bonds, was due in a week, and she would wish
+to be in London to receive him on arrival.
+Leonie, too, who did not seem to share her
+mother's enthusiasm for accepting the ducal
+hospitality, pressed the point with some pertinacity.
+The General, however, was equal to
+the occasion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No dates were mentioned," he said, looking
+his guests guilelessly in the face. "But as his
+Grace alluded to the pleasure with which he
+anticipated making the Senator's acquaintance,
+I presume he takes it for granted that
+your husband will go straight to Prior's Tarrant
+from Liverpool."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Sherman and Leonie exchanged
+glances, as though to say that that settled the
+matter, as indeed, from their point of view,
+it did. Senator Leonidas Sherman was the
+kindest of husbands and the most indulgent of
+fathers; but if he had landed in England and
+found that he had been deprived of the chance
+of staying with a duke, he would have made
+things hum for all concerned.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Beaumanoir, having lived in your country,
+has a warm corner in his heart for all Americans,"
+said the General. "And talking of
+Americans, my dear," he proceeded, addressing
+his wife, "I shouldn't like to be uncivil to
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton. As we are all going
+out of town, what do you say to returning her
+call this afternoon? If you are not otherwise
+engaged, I will order the carriage for four
+o'clock."</p>
+<p class="pnext">When the General—who never in his life
+had paid a duty call without grumbling—spoke
+like that Mrs. Sadgrove knew what was
+expected of her, and did it. She had not the
+faintest inkling of his reasons for sudden politeness
+to a pushing woman whom they all
+disliked. In the old days, when she had gone
+out into camp with her husband, and had sat
+silent in the tent amid the coming and going
+of troopers and mysterious spies, she had
+always divined when a great <em class="italics">coup</em>, resulting
+in the death or capture of some notorious malefactor,
+was vexing his brain. She had watched
+the spreading of the net without troubling him
+with questions about the meshes. So now,
+though inwardly disquieted by this recrudescence
+of the professional instinct, she abstained
+from worrying him, confident that the veteran
+would achieve his purpose as ruthlessly as the
+zealous young captain of thirty years ago.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Without demur the ordering of the carriage
+was agreed to, and when it came round at the
+appointed hour the Sadgroves were reinforced
+by Mrs. Sherman and Leonie, who, at a hint
+from the General, had been induced to accompany
+them. During the drive the General
+fidgeted a good deal about the pace at which
+his fine pair of bays was being driven, and
+once or twice checked the coachman; but his
+wife, who had learned to notice trifles, observed
+also that he frequently consulted his watch,
+and concluded that his anxiety was not entirely
+on the score of his cattle. Of this she was
+assured when, as the equipage turned into the
+courtyard of the hotel, he replaced his watch
+with a scarcely audible sigh of relief. What
+was it for which they were neither too late nor
+too early, she wondered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At the bureau they were informed that Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton was at home, and the
+party, having been handed over to a bell-boy,
+passed on—with the exception of the General,
+who lagged behind for a moment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have a gentleman staying in the hotel
+of the name of Ziegler, have you not—Clinton
+Ziegler?" he inquired of the clerk. "Ah, thank
+you—I was not mistaken then. Do you happen
+to know if he is in his rooms at present?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The answer was that Mr. Ziegler was certain
+to be in, as he was an invalid and never
+went out. Oh yes; he saw people—a good
+many, but always in his own apartments, and
+he never frequented the public rooms. His
+suite was in the same corridor as that of Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton—next to it, in fact. No;
+the gentleman and lady were not friends, or
+even acquainted, the clerk believed. At any
+rate, they had arrived at different times, and
+he had never heard of any connection between
+them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Thanking his informant, the General hurried
+after the others and caught them up in
+time to be ushered with them into Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton's luxurious reception-room.
+The handsome widow, beautifully gowned,
+and already apprised by speaking-tube that
+visitors were coming up, received them with
+effusion, and made no effort to conceal her
+surprise when the General appeared in the
+wake of the ladies. She rallied him on his
+new-found politeness, and openly avowed that
+he must have some secret object in seeking her
+good-will.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General, disclaiming anything unusual
+in his conduct, bore the flow of badinage
+meekly, but under his gray mustache he muttered:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Confound the woman! She is clever, or
+else Jem Sadgrove has blundered."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The conversation drifted into the usual
+channels of small talk, and by the time the
+General joined in he had assimilated one important
+fact in connection with his surroundings.
+The suite of apartments in which he
+was doing the penance of a duty call was a
+split suite. There was a door at the end of the
+room, across which a fairly heavy writing-table
+was placed, denoting that the door was not in
+use, as naturally it would have been if the room
+beyond had been one of those rented by Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton. The discovery and his
+own deduction caused an odd little crease at
+the corner of the General's mouth, and he
+seized the earliest opportunity to put in his
+word.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I've got some news for you, Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton. You are about to be the recipient
+of a very high honor."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Really! But this is extremely interesting,"
+was the reply, accompanied by a flash of
+scrutiny, quickly changed to a charming smile.
+"Pray don't keep me in suspense, General.
+Am I to go for a cruise in the royal yacht, or
+dine with the Lord Mayor?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The Duke of Beaumanoir is going to ask
+you down to his country-place at Prior's Tarrant,"
+said the General, imperturbably ignoring
+her persiflage. "I was with him this morning,
+and I gathered that you'll have your
+invitation in the course of the day. We're all
+going down. The Duke is Alec's new boss,
+don't you know, and he has taken a liking to
+the lot of us."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He carefully avoided his wife's eyes and
+those of his guests as he burst this amazing
+bombshell, thereby depriving himself of the
+sight of a toss of Leonie's pretty head and of
+the raising of two pairs of elderly eyebrows.
+His hostess had his sole attention, and she repaid it fully. For the first time in his experience
+of her Mrs. Talmage Eglinton changed
+color and seemed at a loss for words. He
+helped her out, and himself too, with the same
+old lie, and his manner was perfect—just that
+of the simple old soldier:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The Duke dotes on Americans, don't you
+know. Says he was introduced to you by my
+nephew outside Beaumanoir House the day he
+landed, and when it came out in conversation
+that we knew you, he insisted on your being
+asked. Thought it would please Alec, don't
+you know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The last sentence was spoken carelessly, as
+though it was an afterthought, but it had an
+effect that all the skill at Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's
+disposal could not hide—an effect transient
+only, but so marked that the three other
+women in the room, coldly hostile as they were,
+did not fail to note it. The flush which had
+tinged her cheek on hearing of the invitation
+deepened, and a softer light gleamed for a
+moment in her fine eyes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But whether the General's explanation was
+deemed adequate, or whether she intended to
+accept the invitation, there was no present
+means of knowing. For the sedate calm of
+the afternoon call was suddenly interrupted
+by a tremendous uproar beyond the closed
+door that was blocked by the writing-table—a
+babel of confused voices and the shuffling of
+feet. The ladies looked at one another in
+alarm, Mrs. Talmage Eglinton fully sharing
+the agitation of her visitors. Indeed, she rose
+and glided swiftly towards the closed door,
+and then, as though recollecting that it was not
+available, made for the principal entrance of
+her suite.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General rose and followed her into the
+corridor, the commotion being so great as to
+excuse his doing so. In fact, the sounds from
+the next room were so appalling as to suggest
+that his protection might be necessary against
+some broken-out lunatic, and out in the corridor
+it was evident that some such idea prevailed
+among the hotel attendants. A cluster
+of them had already collected at the door of
+the adjoining apartments, and more were arriving.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What is all this disturbance?" Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton inquired of one of them, and
+the General, close behind, discerned a tremulous
+note in her indignation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The man she accosted did not know, but
+another, who had been inside the suite, at that
+moment pushed his way out and overheard the
+question.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's nothing really serious, madam," he
+said. "An Indian Prince who had applied for
+rooms was being shown round, when he took a
+fancy to enter that suite—occupied by Mr.
+Clinton Ziegler. The Prince is in there now,
+and nothing will induce him to leave peaceably,
+as he can't be made to understand that
+the rooms are engaged. He doesn't appear to
+know much English, but I am going for one
+of the curry cooks, who will doubtless be able
+to interpret for us."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No need to waste time in fetching the
+cook," interposed the General. "I speak most
+of the Indian dialects, and I dare say I can
+get him to quit."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You'd better be careful, then, sir," said the
+attendant. "He pretty nearly strangled Mr.
+Ziegler's secretary when he tried to put him
+out."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Disdaining the warning and accepting the
+implied permission, the General elbowed his
+way into the invaded territory, from which,
+after a couple of minutes, he emerged with a
+tall Asiatic who was wreathed in apologetic
+smiles, and talking volubly in an unknown
+tongue. The intruder was dressed in a gorgeously
+embroidered purple vestment, and in
+his snowy turban blazed a diamond the size
+of a pigeon's egg. From the doorway of the
+invaded suite a couple of pale, fierce faces
+glared for an instant, and then the door was
+shut.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's all right," the General announced to
+the assembled spectators, who by this time included
+Mrs. Sadgrove and the Shermans.
+"This is his Highness the Thakore of Bhurtnagur,
+and he didn't mean to be rude. Just
+a little misunderstanding of his legal rights
+outside his own jurisdiction. He says he'll
+look for rooms at some other hotel, as he can't
+have those he wants here."</p>
+<p class="pnext">A murmur of relief went up from the embarrassed
+attendants, who with great deference
+proceeded to escort the swarthy potentate
+to the carriage which it was understood was
+waiting for him. At the same time Mrs. Sadgrove
+held out her hand to Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton, and, declining that lady's not too
+pressing offer of tea, sailed away to the stair-head,
+accompanied by Leonie and her mother.
+The General was the last to make his adieus,
+and he made them, oddly enough, much more
+cordially than the women-folk.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Pleasant thing, a short parting," he ejaculated,
+as he bent over the fair American's
+jeweled hand. "We shall meet in a day or two
+at Prior's Tarrant, eh?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Talmage Eglinton smiled sweetly up
+at the rugged face of the veteran man-hunter.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come, General, you can't expect me to give
+myself away like that," she said. "I shan't
+make up my mind until I get the invitation.
+You might be a bad, bold dissembler, you
+know, just taking a rise out of me; and then
+what a fool I should look if I had said that I
+was going to stay with the Duke."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I might be a dissembler, but you couldn't
+look a fool—under any circumstances," replied
+the General gallantly, as he turned away.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Talmage Eglinton stood watching the
+erect figure march down the corridor, and suddenly
+called after him:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"When does the Duke himself go into the
+country, General?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The erect figure wheeled as on a pivot, and
+the answer came back without a second's pause.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"To-night, by the 8.45 from St. Pancras.
+Alec Forsyth goes down with him."</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xion-the-terrace">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id12">CHAPTER XI—<em class="italics">On the Terrace</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The home park at Prior's Tarrant lay
+bathed in the gentle glow of a waning moon,
+but the hoary façade of the mansion itself, and
+the terrace that skirted it, were in shadow. Up
+and down in front of the long row of windows
+a red spark passed and repassed with monotonous
+regularity—the light of General Sadgrove's
+cigar as he waited in growing impatience
+for the coming of the Duke.</p>
+<p class="pnext">After his social duties of the afternoon he
+had paid a hurried visit to Beaumanoir House
+to arrange for the Duke's departure in company
+with his new secretary, and then, armed
+with credentials from the Duke and heralded
+by a preparatory telegram, he had proceeded
+to the Hertfordshire seat by an earlier train.
+He had good reasons for traveling separately.
+And now the carriage which he had sent to the
+little wayside station of Tarrant Road two
+miles off was overdue, and the General was
+beginning to chafe.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I hope I haven't been too cocksure," he
+muttered, under his close-trimmed gray mustache.
+"I pinned my faith to Alec's company
+securing the fellow's safety on the journey at
+least."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He took another turn, and then, striking a
+vesta, looked at his watch. It was twenty
+minutes to eleven, whereas if those he expected
+had caught the 8.45 from St. Pancras, the carriage
+should have been back half an hour ago.
+He had hardly finished this calculation when
+from behind a gigantic vase on the plinth of
+the steps leading to the lower level of the gardens
+there sounded the hiss of a cobra, thrice
+repeated.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Azimoolah?" said the General, softly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">His faithful servitor glided forward, almost
+invisible in the shabby blue tunic which had
+replaced the spotless white garments of Grosvenor
+Gardens.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A queer orderly-room, sahib, but not more
+so than some we wot of in the by-ways of the
+Deccan," he whispered, glancing up at the
+loom of the great mansion. "Well, I have
+done thy bidding, and have secured a lodging
+in the village as a poor vendor of Oriental
+trifles. Furthermore, I have already done
+some good police work."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have discovered that there are
+strangers dwelling in the place?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Not so, sahib; but they have been <em class="italics">seen</em> in
+the village," was the reply. "The woman with
+whom I have hired shelter says that two men,
+professing to be painters, were in the park all
+day painting the trees and the deer, for which
+purpose they had obtained permission of the
+steward. Whence the men came the woman
+did not know, but they drove in in a dog-cart
+on the St. Albans road."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Your informant could not tell you if the
+picture was finished—whether the men were
+coming again?" the General asked quickly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was too dark to see the Pathan's face, but
+a ring in his carefully managed undertone told
+of pride in the answer:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">She</em> could not tell <em class="italics">me</em>, sahib, but <em class="italics">I</em> can tell
+<em class="italics">you</em>. The picture makes the trees look like
+cauliflowers and the deer like unto swine.
+Moreover, it is not finished, and the men are
+coming again—to-morrow, perchance."</p>
+<p class="pnext">General Sadgrove congratulated himself
+on his foresight. He would have preferred
+having Azimoolah in the house with him, but
+he had detached him from personal service,
+and had sent him down separately to pick up
+unconsidered trifles in the character of a traveling
+huckster. And the old sleuth-hound
+had done well, after only a couple of hours in
+the place, in bringing this news of painters
+who could not paint, yet were returning on the
+morrow. The General had such absolute
+trust in his henchman's methods that he did
+not trouble to inquire how the news had been
+acquired, thereby sparing Azimoolah the
+needless narrative of a deal with the landlady
+of the "Hanbury Arms," where the strangers
+had put up their cart and lunched.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very good, old jungle-wolf," was all the
+comment he vouchsafed, and, making a mental
+note to see that the park was barred in future
+to the limners of "deer like unto swine," he was
+passing on to further instructions when the
+sound of wheels was heard far away down the
+avenue, and a moment later carriage-lamps
+twinkled into view round a corner in the drive.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Here they come," he said. "Better make
+yourself scarce now, but stay within call in
+case I want you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Azimoolah vanished in the darkness, and the
+General strolled on to the end of the terrace,
+where the descent of a flight of steps brought
+him to the main entrance of the mansion.
+Stationing himself under the portico, he waited
+the arrival of the brougham, which presently
+swung to a standstill, while the big hall door
+was opened wide by ready hands, and shed a
+blaze of light on—an empty carriage.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What's this mean, Perrett?" asked the
+General, outwardly calm for all the big lump
+in his throat, and cool enough to remember the
+name of the gray-haired coachman, learned on
+his own drive from the station. "Has not his
+Grace arrived?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No, sir," replied the old servant, leaning
+from the box. "There has been an accident
+to the 8.45. No one hurt, sir. No need for
+alarm, for his Grace can't have been in the
+train."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How do you get at that?" the General
+asked, doubtfully.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The train was derailed between St. Albans
+and Harpenden, sir. Some of the passengers
+were shaken, but none badly injured; so the
+fast train that followed was run on to the up
+metals and brought them on, stopping at every
+station. But none got out at Tarrant Road.
+James here," indicating the footman, "ran
+along the train and looked into every carriage,
+but he could not see the Duke."</p>
+<p class="pnext">And Perrett won golden opinions from the
+General by adding that, not satisfied with that,
+he got the station-master to wire up the line
+to the point of the accident, and received in
+reply the positive assurance that no injured
+persons had been left behind. All had been
+forwarded to their destinations by the succeeding
+fast train, which had been made "slow"
+for the purpose.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General had already mastered the time-table,
+and knew that only one more train from
+London would stop at Tarrant Road that
+night—the last, due at a quarter past midnight.
+The coachman therefore received, as
+he had expected, orders to return to the station
+in time to meet that train, and the General,
+lighting a fresh cigar, strolled back to the terrace,
+where, in response to his low whistle,
+Azimoolah glided to his side.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"There is work afoot," he said, briefly.
+"Canst, as of yore, do without sleep at a
+pinch?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ay, and without food if it is so willed by
+Allah and the sahib."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Whereupon the General gave him the best
+directions he could to the scene of the railway
+accident fifteen miles away, and bade him hie
+thither with all speed and glean particulars on
+the spot, especially with regard to the life they
+were pledged to defend and the nature of the
+accident, which might be no accident at all,
+but a move of their mysterious antagonists.
+It needed but few words to make Azimoolah
+understand, and he was gone—even before his
+hand, raised in unconscious salute, had
+dropped to his side.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General fell to pacing to and fro again,
+striving to penetrate the new situation that
+had arisen, and, as was his wont when matters
+went wrong, not sparing himself much scathing
+criticism. For what had seemed to him
+good reason, he had put all his eggs in one
+basket—"gone nap"—as he reflected, on the
+Duke and Forsyth catching the 8.45, and now
+disaster had overtaken that very train. If the
+village post-office had been open, he would
+have wired to know if the Duke was still at
+Beaumanoir House, for everything hinged on
+whether he had started, and Sadgrove felt an
+ominous presentiment that he had. The people
+he was playing against were not the sort to
+wreck a train without prospect of adequate
+result.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Presently the twin lamps went twinkling
+down the avenue again, and the General tried
+to comfort himself with the hope that when
+they reappeared Beaumanoir would be in the
+carriage. After all, Alec Forsyth was with
+him. What had befallen the one should have
+befallen the other, and he had the greatest
+confidence in his nephew's readiness and resource.
+It might even be, the General told
+himself, that Alec had suspected foul play to
+the 8.45, and had purposely delayed departure—although,
+in conflict with this theory, arose
+the conjecture that in that case the railway
+people would have been warned, and there
+would have been no "accident" at all.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But what was the use of following threads
+which, in the absence of a substantial starting-point,
+led nowhere? The worried veteran gave
+up the futile task in favor of more practical
+work, and occupied himself in learning the
+route by which the miscreants who had tried to
+suffocate the Duke had reached the chimney-stack
+over his chamber. He found that a decayed
+buttress had given them access to the
+top of the ancient refectory, whence an easy
+climb along a slanting gutter-pipe formed a
+royal road to the roof of the main building.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The discovery, interesting in itself, was
+doubly so from the deduction to be made therefrom.
+The men who had climbed the roof
+would have been caught like rats in a trap if
+the Duke had raised the alarm, and they must
+either have had complete confidence in their
+ability to kill him by the charcoal fumes, or,
+in the event of a hitch, in the Duke's unwillingness
+to rouse the household.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Egad! but they must have a nasty grip on
+him, to trust to his not squealing under such
+provocation," the General murmured, as the
+sound of wheels drew him at last from the age-worn
+buttress back to the portico. "If he's
+turned up all right I'll try and persuade him
+to confide the secret before we go to bed."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But when the brougham stopped, it disgorged
+no Duke, but only Alec Forsyth, pale
+of face, and for once in his life half afraid of
+meeting his uncle's expectant eye. But he
+kept his presence of mind sufficiently to control
+his voice as he informed the General—the
+information being really for the servants who
+had appeared at the hall door—that his Grace
+had not arrived. In silence the General led
+the way to the dining-room, and it was not
+until he had dismissed the butler with the assurance
+that they would need nothing more
+that night that he found speech in the curt
+monosyllable, "Well?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">For answer Alec handed him a telegraph
+form conveying the message:</p>
+<blockquote><div>
+<p class="pfirst">"<em class="italics">To A. Forsyth, passenger by 8.45, St.
+Pancras terminus.</em></p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">Come back at once, urgent. Am in great
+distress. Persons threatening Duke detained
+here. He will be quite safe if he goes on,
+though not if he returns with you—Sybil
+Hanbury, Beaumanoir House.</em>"</p>
+</div></blockquote>
+<p class="pfirst">The General glanced through it and
+gripped the position.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Beaumanoir was in the 8.45?" he snapped.
+"That telegram is a forgery, and you show it
+to me to explain your separation from him?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth bowed his head in grieved assent to
+both questions.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am, of course, to blame for trusting that
+infernal thing," he said. "But I had better
+put you in possession of the facts at once, for
+until I reached Tarrant Road station and
+learned of Beaumanoir's non-arrival from the
+coachman I had hoped that he had come
+through all right. I ascertained at Harpenden,
+where I first heard of the smash, that no
+one had suffered serious injury."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The facts as related by Forsyth were very
+simple in themselves, though greatly enhancing
+the perplexity of the Duke's disappearance.
+The two friends had left Beaumanoir
+House in a hansom, giving themselves, as had
+been arranged, barely time enough to catch
+the train at St. Pancras. They had already
+taken their seats in an empty compartment on
+which the guard had, at their request, placed
+an "engaged" label, when a telegraph-boy
+came along the line of carriages, inquiring for
+Forsyth by name. On reading the message he
+had acted on the impulse of the moment, and
+asking the Duke to excuse him on the score of
+urgent private business, had left the train and
+driven back to Beaumanoir House, to find the
+telegram repudiated by Sybil as not emanating
+from her and its contents quite unfounded.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I expect she let you have it," the General
+remarked grimly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She was a little cross," admitted Forsyth,
+flushing at the reminiscence. "I do not see,
+though, that I could have ignored what purported
+to be an appeal for assistance from a
+woman in distress—leaving aside my personal
+relations with her."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Don't kick, laddie. I'm to blame for leaving
+our precious vanishing nobleman in the
+hands of a man in love. What next?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I hurried back to St. Pancras, and, just
+missing the fast train which afterwards picked
+up the 8.45 passengers at the scene of the accident,
+had to kick my heels until the last train
+started. But it was no accident, Uncle Jem.
+A big baulk of timber had been placed across
+the rails, they told me at Harpenden."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General knitted his brows and pondered
+the problem, presently suggesting tentatively
+that there was no proof that the Duke
+had after all gone in the 8.45. He might, on
+finding himself suddenly deprived of his companion,
+have got out before it started. But
+this theory was at once knocked on the head
+by Forsyth's assertion that the train had begun
+to move before he left the platform, and that
+Beaumanoir, still seated in the "engaged"
+compartment, had waved him farewell. If
+the Duke had not got out at an intermediate
+station, he must have disappeared at the place
+of derailment, the latter contingency being the
+more probable. Also the most alarming, because
+the stranded passengers had had to wait
+for three-quarters of an hour at the side of the
+line in the dark, at a remote spot surrounded
+by woods.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Humph! It looks very much as if they'd
+got him this time," was the General's final
+comment. And he straightway walked over
+to the sideboard and poured himself out a glass
+of wine, motioning his nephew to join him.
+The action was significant of conclusiveness,
+and seemed to say that, doom having overtaken
+the Duke, there was nothing more to be
+done. The old gentleman drank his wine
+slowly, then turned to Forsyth with the fierce
+exclamation:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"First time Jem Sadgrove was ever beaten
+by a woman. Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, or
+whatever she may choose to call herself, has
+scored a record."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mrs. Talmage Eglinton! What on earth
+has she got to do with it?" was Forsyth's astounded
+rejoinder.</p>
+<p class="pnext">A good deal, it appeared, according to the
+view which the General had contrived to piece
+together, and which, leaning against the sideboard, he proceeded to propound in spasmodic
+jerks. Beginning with a description of how
+he had witnessed Beaumanoir's narrow escape
+of being run down by Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's
+landau, he hinted at the dawn of suspicion
+in his own mind on finding her immediately
+afterwards calling at his house, yet
+strangely silent on having nearly killed a man
+in the streets. Then, when Forsyth had consulted
+him after the midnight episode at Beaumanoir
+House, and had told him of the Duke's
+visit on the day of his arrival from New York
+to someone occupying the next suite at the
+hotel to that of Mrs. Eglinton, he had been
+fairly certain of his clue. Having satisfied
+himself by personal observation that the ducal
+mansion in Piccadilly was closely watched, he
+had set himself the task of establishing a connection
+between the <em class="italics">soi-disant</em> widow and her
+neighbor at the hotel—a task which had been
+successful so far as convincing himself went.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth recognized that, for all the mischance
+of the evening, his uncle had put in
+some good detective work, and said so. "You
+must have been quick, too," he added. "Is it
+permitted to ask how you managed it?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It was very simple," the General replied,
+with a relish for the remembrance. "I carted
+all the women off to call on the lady, and while
+we were there Azimoolah, in the character of
+an Indian rajah, blundered into Mr. Clinton
+Ziegler's rooms, which I had in the meanwhile
+ascertained communicated with Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton's. When the prearranged hubbub
+commenced she gave herself away by an unconscious
+movement to the communicating
+door, showing that she was in the habit of using
+it, unknown to the hotel people, who believe
+that they have divided one big suite into two
+smaller ones let separately. She's clever, and
+pulled herself together at once, but I had got
+what I wanted—the fact that she was anxious
+about the rumpus my good old Khan, tricked
+out in a suit from Nathan's and a stage diamond,
+was raising next door."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That seems convincing, certainly," said
+Forsyth.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Azimoolah's experiences were even more
+so. Mr. Clinton Ziegler has some associates
+with a very pretty way with them when Asiatic
+princes stumble by chance into his rooms. Of
+course, it was Azimoolah's cue to be a bit boisterous
+and persistent, but they needn't have
+roused the tiger in him by giving him the congenial task of disarming them of two uncommonly
+murderous knives. Funny thing is,
+that when I went in as an interpreting peace-maker,
+I saw no sign of Ziegler, who, I gathered
+at the hotel bureau, is an invalid and
+never goes out. The two men in the room
+were able-bodied fellows, fashionably dressed,
+but with that in their faces which there is no
+mistaking. The 'crime-look' is an open sign
+to those who know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General paused and looked at his
+nephew curiously. "Then I made a false
+move," he went on—"a false move which may
+have wiped the seventh Duke of Beaumanoir
+out of the peerage. I told Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton that the Duke was going down to
+Prior's Tarrant by the 8.45. Yes, you may
+well stare, but I had an object. I also told
+her that you were going down with him, believing
+that that would secure you both a
+peaceful journey; for, vulgarly speaking, the
+woman is glaringly sweet upon you, laddie.
+I ought to have given such a combination as
+she works with credit for the cunning which
+drew you from your post."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth flushed with annoyance. It was not
+pleasant to hear that his friend's life might
+have been sacrificed through his uncle's perception
+of a feminine weakness which had
+irked him throughout the London season—in
+fact, ever since Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had
+made her mysterious appearance on the fringe
+of society. The card, however, on which the
+General had staked and apparently lost had
+been distinctly "the game" if he, Forsyth, had
+only played up to it himself by sticking like
+wax to poor hunted Beaumanoir.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But <em class="italics">why</em> was Beaumanoir being hunted?
+That easy-mannered unfortunate, who had
+exchanged a life of reckless irresponsibility
+for sordid penury, and the latter for the headship
+of a historic house, had performed all
+these <em class="italics">demivoltes</em> without making a visible
+enemy save himself. Why should he have incurred
+a remorseless hatred which aimed at
+nothing less than his life?</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The Star-spangled Banner looms largely
+on the horizon of all this," the young man
+mused aloud. "Can you explain that phase
+of the mystery, Uncle Jem?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The hub of the wheel, I take it, is my old
+friend Leonidas Sherman, or, rather, the three
+millions sterling which he is on his way to this
+country with," said the General briskly. "Big
+American robbery, worked by a disciplined
+gang, and somehow your pal Beaumanoir is
+entangled. The day he was at our house he
+tried vaguely to warn Leonie. Hinted that
+Sherman should be warned to be careful."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth heard the amazing theory with an
+inward qualm lest his shrewd old relative
+should have hit on the solution of the puzzle,
+and it filled him with greater apprehension
+than even the physical peril of the Duke had
+instilled. "Entanglement" in Beaumanoir's
+case could only mean complicity, for if his
+knowledge of the scheme was not a guilty
+knowledge, if he had become possessed of the
+secret accidentally, why did he not invoke the
+aid of the police and expose the conspirators?
+Forsyth saw that the General read what was
+passing in his mind, and he clutched at the
+only visible straw in defence of his friend.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"If Beaumanoir was culpably implicated
+these scoundrels wouldn't want to kill him, any
+more than he would want to queer their game
+by having Senator Sherman warned," he said.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"There you put your finger on the <em class="italics">crux</em>,"
+replied the General, who disliked the raising
+of questions which he could not answer.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And," proceeded Forsyth, pursuing his
+slight advantage, "you would never have got
+Beaumanoir to assent to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+being asked here if he had known her to
+be a professional criminal. The 'honor of the
+house,' as he calls it, is undoubtedly the motive
+of his inexplicable silence. He would hardly
+compromise that august sentiment, for which
+he is apparently willing to die, by desecrating
+Prior's Tarrant with the presence of a woman
+likely to figure in the police-courts—a woman,
+too, who, if your theory is correct, has designs
+against the father of the girl for whom I veritably
+believe he has more than a passing
+regard."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General, secretly in danger of losing
+his temper—a thing he never really did—concealed
+his emotion by affecting to ruminate.
+The thought of his invitation to the dashing
+American, afterwards carelessly endorsed by
+the Duke, restored his equanimity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That was a neat touch," he remarked meditatively
+as he selected a cigar from his case.
+"If his Grace is not cold meat, I'd give a good
+deal to be living under the same roof with him
+and Mrs. Talmage Eglinton for a few days,
+with the prospect of Senator Sherman's arrival
+at the end of them."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He held the cigar he had chosen poised between
+finger and thumb, and suddenly gazed
+round with a comical expression at the rich
+appurtenances of the majestic dining-room.
+The maze of this latter-day pursuit had led
+him into unfamiliar paths. His ancient triumphs
+had been won under the free sky, where
+he could unravel a knotty point with the aid
+of tobacco at will; but now he wanted to
+smoke, and was confronted by sternly repressive
+ducal splendor.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mustn't light up here, I suppose," he
+grunted. "Let's get into the open and have
+a whiff. Yes, I know it's two o'clock, but
+we can't go to bed."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He moved to one of the French windows,
+and, parting the heavy curtains, unfastened the
+bolts and stepped out on to the terrace where
+he had spent the earlier hours of the evening.
+Instantly both he and Forsyth, who followed
+close behind, became conscious of the sound of
+heavy breathing. As the shaft of light shot
+from the opened window they saw that at the
+apex of the shaft, half way to the balustrade
+of the terrace, two men were locked together
+on the ground in a ferocious struggle, while
+twenty paces off, in the shadow of the gray
+pile, the dim shapes of two other men paused
+irresolute, as if their advance had been checked
+by the sudden opening of the window.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For two seconds General Sadgrove's eyes
+blazed along the line of light; then with a
+spring that would have done credit to one of
+half his age, he hurled himself upon the combatants,
+and selecting the topmost for his onslaught,
+dragged him from the prone figure
+below.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Get back to the window! Watch those
+other fellows!" he called to his nephew, who
+was hurrying to his assistance. And Forsyth
+did as he was bid, though he had hardly run
+back and put himself on guard when the two
+distant prowlers vanished into the deeper
+shadows of the refectory wall.</p>
+<p class="pnext">With no gentle hand the General hauled his
+struggling captive towards the window. Half
+Forsyth's attention was diverted to the other
+party to the fray, who was slowly rising from
+the ground, and the other half to the dark end
+of the terrace, where the remaining pair had
+disappeared; and it was therefore not until the
+General had arrived, hanging like a terrier to
+his prisoner, that the obedient sentinel had eyes
+for them. But at last he had to stand aside to
+allow the veteran firebrand to drag the fighting,
+kicking figure into the room, and then
+only did he notice details.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You've got the wrong one!" he exclaimed.
+"Don't you see—that's your own man, Azimoolah?"</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiithe-man-under-the-seat">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id13">CHAPTER XII—<em class="italics">The Man Under the Seat</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">When the Duke of Beaumanoir found himself
+alone in the railway carriage after Alec
+Forsyth's departure he sank back in his corner
+with a certain sense of relief. The events of
+the last twenty-four hours had filled him with
+a very sincere regard for his cousin Sybil, and
+he had not much faith in the assurance given
+him by General Sadgrove that his journey
+down to Prior's Tarrant would be free from
+danger. His past experiences led him to expect
+that the terrible Ziegler and his myrmidons
+would be more than a match for the
+shrewd but somewhat out-of-date Indian
+officer, and if there was to be an "episode" on
+the railway he would be glad to think that it
+could not now plunge his plucky young cousin
+into mourning for her lover.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She is a girl in a thousand," he murmured,
+as he lit a cigarette; "I should never forgive
+myself if I were the means of making her a
+widow before she is a wife. If, as I half suspect, Alec's detachment was effected by a ruse
+on the part of the graybeard at the Cecil—well,
+I take off my hat to that gentleman for
+his consideration."</p>
+<p class="pnext">As the train gathered speed, rushing
+through the twinkling suburban lights, the
+Duke put his feet on the opposite cushions
+and reviewed the situation—calmly, but
+always with but slender faith in being able "to
+worry through" with his life. That had really
+become quite a secondary object with him, so
+far as his personal safety was concerned; yet
+his present attitude was to escape the attentions
+of Ziegler long enough to convey a warning
+to Senator Sherman of the plot against
+him. Whether his nerves would be proof
+against the strain till the Senator's arrival at
+Liverpool was a phase of the case which he did
+not care to contemplate too closely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Ziegler, he felt sure, would have grasped
+the position to a nicety, and would use every
+device in his apparently limitless <em class="italics">repertoire</em> to
+give him his quietus before Leonie's father
+set foot on shore. It might well be that another
+attempt would be made on him before
+he reached the sheltering zone of Prior's Tarrant, wherein General Sadgrove had promised
+him safety.</p>
+<p class="pnext">His reflections were cut short by the slowing
+down of the train for the stoppage at Kentish
+Town, and the Duke's sensations at that moment
+hardly presaged a comfortable journey
+for him, brief though it would be. The compartment
+was labeled "reserved," it was true,
+and the guard had been tipped to see that the
+legend was respected, but that stood for little
+when people of the Ziegler type were on the
+move, and he looked forward with dread to the
+future stoppages if his heart was to thump
+like this.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Which is a study in the quality of <em class="italics">fear</em>, for
+Beaumanoir was of the kind that leads cavalry
+charges to visible and certain death with gay
+recklessness.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The present trouble passed, however, for
+the guard hovered round the carriage and gave
+no chance to invaders, who in any case would
+have had some difficulty in effecting an entrance,
+as the door was locked. The train sped
+on again, out into the country now, through
+the balmy summer night, and Beaumanoir
+breathed more freely. One of the dreaded
+stoppages was notched off the list.</p>
+<p class="pnext">So, too, were Hendon and Mill Hill safely
+negotiated, and Beaumanoir was able to contemplate
+the slackened speed for Elstree with
+greater equanimity. As before, the guard's
+portly form loomed large outside the compartment
+the moment the train stopped, and so
+doubtless would have remained had not a loud,
+imperious voice on the platform summoned
+him to a divided duty.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Here, guard! What are you about there?
+Hurry up now, and open this door!" came the
+choleric command.</p>
+<p class="pnext">With a deprecatory glance at the Duke's
+carriage the guard perforce hurried off, and
+Beaumanoir peered out of the window after
+him. The official had gone to the assistance of
+a tall, well-groomed gentleman, who, with an
+air of irritable importance, was fumbling with
+the door-handle of a first-class compartment
+some way along the train. The traveler was
+of the type that secures the immediate respect
+of railway servants—dressed in brand new
+creaseless clothes, every immaculate pocket of
+which suggested the jingle of half-sovereigns.
+A man carrying a yellow hatbox and a rug
+lurked deferentially behind the magnate and
+cast reproachful glances at the guard, who was
+now thoroughly alive to his opportunities and
+opened the door with a flourish. The tall man,
+whom Beaumanoir took for a brother duke, or
+at least a director of the line, stepped with dignity
+into the compartment; the menial handed
+in the hatbox and rugs, and sought a second-class
+carriage; the guard waved his lamp, and
+the train moved on.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir withdrew his head and sank
+back in his corner, catching just a glimpse of
+the guard preparing to spring into his van as
+it neared him. The station lights flashed past,
+and the long line of carriages swung into the
+outer darkness, the little diversion of the important
+passenger leaving Beaumanoir amused
+and comforted. To the man who had tramped
+his weary way along the Bowery to his five-dollar
+boarding-house within the month this
+exhibition of class privileges and distinctions
+was breezily refreshing, seeing that he was
+now in a position to claim them himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Immunity from danger through four suburban
+stations had brought a delicious sense of
+calm, and as he leaned back he thought how
+nice it would be to live the life of an English
+nobleman, free from all sordid cares and humiliations.
+And if he could wake up at the
+end of a week and find that his entanglement
+was all a nightmare, or, at any rate, that Ziegler's
+bark was worse than his bite, and that
+Senator Sherman had safely deposited the
+bonds at the Bank—well, in that improved
+state of things what was to prevent his asking
+Leonie to share his new-found privileges?</p>
+<p class="pnext">Then, suddenly, the icy finger touched his
+heart again. As the blue wreaths of cigarette
+smoke in which he had conjured up this alluring
+vision rolled away he became conscious
+that his gaze, hitherto absorbed and preoccupied
+with day-dreams, was in reality riveted on
+a material object under the opposite seat. A
+very material object indeed—no less than the
+heel of a man's boot.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At sight of this disturbing element Beaumanoir's
+sensations were of a mixed order.
+First of all, he could see so little of the boot
+that he could not be sure that there was a man
+attached to it, though the presumption was in
+favor of that supposition, for he was quite certain
+that it had not been there long, or he
+would have noticed it before. He guessed, so
+alert had his mind become under stress of
+emergencies, that the wearer of the boot had
+got into the compartment on the off side while
+he himself had been looking out of the window
+in Elstree station.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But if so, and the man had invaded his privacy
+with sinister design, why should he have
+plunged at once into a position of utter impotence?
+No one flattened out under the low
+seat of a first-class railway carriage is capable
+of active violence without a preliminary struggle
+to free himself, during which he would be
+at the mercy of his intended victim. The only
+design that Beaumanoir could attribute to him
+was that he would presently wriggle to the
+front and use a pistol.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He sat and eyed the motionless boot, and
+then an impulse, swift and irresistible, seized
+him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come out of that, you beggar!" he cried;
+and, stooping down, he gripped the boot, wondering
+whether he was to be rewarded with a
+haul or whether he would have to laugh at
+himself for grabbing someone's discarded
+footgear. But the first touch told him that
+here was no empty boot, and, his fingers closing
+on it like a vise, he put forth all his
+strength and dragged its wearer, snarling and
+spluttering, out on to the open floor. There
+was no sign of a pistol, but as a measure of
+precaution Beaumanoir pulled out his own
+Smith and Wesson.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Get up and sit in that corner," he said
+sternly, eyeing the puny form of the invader
+with curiosity. Open violence at any rate was
+not to be apprehended from the stunted little
+figure of a man who coweringly obeyed his
+order.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But as his captive turned round and showed
+his sullen face the Duke knew that this was no
+mere impecunious vagabond, sneaking a cheap
+railway journey. His fellow passenger was
+part and parcel of the peril that menaced him—had,
+in fact, been a fellow-passenger of his
+before. For the wizened, mean-looking face
+was the face of the spy Marker, who had been
+pointed out to him by Leonie on board the <em class="italics">St.
+Paul</em>, and who had afterwards shadowed him
+to the Hotel Cecil on landing.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"So we meet again, Mr. Marker," said the
+Duke with pleasant irony. "I should have
+thought that your friend Mr. Ziegler could
+have provided you with a railway fare rather
+than let you travel like a broken racing sharp—under
+the seat."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The fellow blinked his ferret eyes viciously,
+but began a futile attempt at prevarication.
+"My name, I guess, ain't Marker, and I never
+heard of anyone called Ziegler," he whined.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very possibly your name may not be
+Marker, though you booked under it on the
+<em class="italics">St. Paul</em>; but you are undoubtedly acquainted
+with the old rascal at the Cecil who calls himself
+Ziegler," Beaumanoir retorted.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You seem to know a powerful sight more
+about me than I know myself," was the sullen
+reply.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir made a long scrutiny of the
+weak but cunning countenance of the spy, and
+he came to the conclusion that this was one of
+the underlings of the combination, to be
+trusted only with minor tasks in the great
+game. His presence there under the seat of
+the compartment was the more unaccountable,
+since he was not the sort of creature with either
+nerve or physique to murder anything stronger
+than a fly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Look here, my good chap," said Beaumanoir
+with tolerant contempt, after, as he
+thought, gauging Mr. Marker's caliber.
+"You've got a bit out of your depth with the
+people you're trying to swim with. Why not
+chuck Ziegler and Co. and come over to me?
+I'll make it worth your while."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the only response was a dull shake of
+the insignificant head and the sulky rejoinder:
+"I don't know what you're getting at, Mister.
+I'll chuck anybody you like and come over
+to you with pleasure if you will stand the price
+of a ticket to St. Albans."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The persistent denial was as absurd as the
+suggested reason for his presence under the
+seat, and Beaumanoir began to lose patience.
+"I suppose," he said, "that you will maintain
+that you did not go to Mr. Forsyth's chambers
+in John Street last night under the pretence of
+being a chemist's messenger?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Never been in John Street in my life,"
+came back the pat and obvious lie.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It seemed useless to argue further, and
+Beaumanoir preserved silence till the train ran
+into Radlett Station, when he put into practice
+the course he had decided upon. At least he
+would force the creature to disclosure and put
+him to some inconvenience, as it was possible
+that thereby he might disconcert his plans,
+whatever they might be. Lowering the window,
+he called to the guard, and informed the
+astonished official that he had found a man
+traveling under the seat without a ticket.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Then uprose the righteous wrath of the
+guard, who had Mr. Marker by the collar in a
+trice and twisted him out on to the platform
+with the sharp demand:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now, young man, your name and address,
+and quick about it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What for?" inquired Marker, openly insolent.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Defrauding the Company by traveling
+without previously paying the fare, contrary
+to By-law 18."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The spy broke into a jeering cackle.
+"You've only got <em class="italics">his</em> word for it that I haven't
+got a ticket," he replied. "I nipped under the
+seat because I thought he was a lunatic, and
+a gent can travel that way, I reckon, if he's
+paid his shot. Here's the ticket, Mister. I'll
+make tracks to another carriage."</p>
+<p class="pnext">With which he produced a first-class ticket
+all in order and walked off along the platform,
+leaving the Duke and the guard looking
+after him, the former with a curious smile, the
+latter with dismayed perplexity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, of all the funny games!" exclaimed
+the official. "He must have got in at Elstree
+while I was attending to that there toff, and
+blessed if he ain't scooting into the same compartment
+with him now. Your Grace will
+understand that I couldn't interfere with him,
+seeing that he had a ticket and you didn't
+prefer no charge?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"All right, guard," replied Beaumanoir,
+with his weary smile. "It really doesn't matter.
+He seems to have taken me for a madman,
+while I took him for a dead-head, that's
+all. These little misunderstandings will arise,
+you know. We're behind time, eh?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Taking the hint, the guard retired and
+started the train, Beaumanoir resuming his
+seat in a frame of mind only to be described
+as mixed. He stared out into the gloom of
+night, wondering what was to come next. His
+little stratagem had succeeded, in so far as it
+had revealed Marker as the possessor of a
+ticket, and therefore as presumably charged
+with some design against himself, though it
+had shed no light on the nature of that design.
+But the adroitness with which the wretched
+spy had extricated himself made him gnash his
+teeth because of the impudent reliance on his
+inability to assign a reason to the guard for
+fearing an intruder. That in itself was clear
+evidence that Mr. Marker was under the seat
+with a very real purpose.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Had that purpose been entirely thwarted by
+his discovery? was the question which buzzed
+through the Duke's brain to the tune of the
+rolling wheels. There had been an air of insolent
+confidence in the fellow as he showed his
+ticket and walked away which hardly tallied
+with total discomfiture. And then, mused
+Beaumanoir, was there not ground for further
+apprehension in his selection of a fresh compartment
+and a fresh traveling companion?
+Could it be that "the toff" who had entered
+the train at Elstree was an accomplice, and
+that Mr. Marker had gone to report to him
+and concert new measures? It might well be
+so, for, whether wittingly or no, the swaggering
+passenger had certainly caused the diversion
+which had enabled Marker to open the
+door on the off side and creep under the seat.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The reflection that the spy might have confederates
+on the train did not add to Beaumanoir's
+equanimity, and at the next stop he let
+down the window again and peered along the
+line of carriages. Sure enough, he caught a
+glimpse of a head protruding from the compartment
+into which Marker had disappeared—not
+the head of Marker himself, but of the
+imperious person who had played the magnate
+and distracted the guard. The head was instantly withdrawn, but it had done a useful
+work in convincing Beaumanoir that he was
+really an object of interest in that quarter, and
+not to Marker alone.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I wish they would <em class="italics">do</em> something and end
+this beastly suspense," the hunted man muttered
+to himself as the train moved on once
+more; "though, for the matter of that, they
+can't do anything till I get out at Tarrant
+Road—unless they openly come to the door
+and shoot me at one of the few remaining stoppages."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But he was soon to learn that stations were
+not to be the only stopping-places for the 8.45
+that night. It had come to a steep gradient,
+up which it was plodding laboriously, when
+suddenly there was a bumping thud that
+hurled Beaumanoir on to the opposite seat; the
+wheels screeched on the metals as if in agony;
+a tremor as of impending dissolution quivered
+through the framework of the carriage, and
+the train jerked to a standstill.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir had the door open instantly
+with his own private key, and clambering down
+on to the side of the line nearly fell into the
+arms of the guard, hurrying from the rear van
+towards the engine.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Run into an obstruction, I expect, your
+Grace—nothing very serious, I hope," panted
+the guard as he went scrunching over the ballast
+to the center of disaster.</p>
+<p class="pnext">People were swarming out of the carriages,
+all of them evidently more frightened than
+hurt, and Beaumanoir strained his eyes
+through the leaping, scuffling figures to the
+compartment occupied by his enemies. Yes,
+there they were, and apparently the thing was
+to be done in character to the last. The tall,
+well-dressed man opened the door, called
+"Guard!" in the same old tone of importance,
+and, getting no response, began to leisurely
+descend on to the permanent way, followed by
+Marker, who feigned to hold no converse with
+him. At the same time there hastened up the
+man who had handed in the hatbox and rug,
+and then the three were swallowed up in the
+shadows beyond the radius of light from the
+carriage windows.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For the night had fallen inky dark, and outside
+that narrow band of artificial light all was
+as black as the nether pit. Shrieking women
+and agitated men appeared for a moment on
+the footboards and disappeared, directly they
+had traversed the short zone of light, into the
+outer gloom of the waste ground at the side of
+the railway.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Casting a comprehensive glance at his surroundings,
+the Duke saw that the accident had
+occurred at a lonely spot where the line was
+hemmed in on either hand by dense woods running
+right up to the rail-fence that bounded
+the track. Instinct prompted him to quit the
+dangerous proximity of his own compartment,
+and at the same time he desired to ascertain
+how long the delay was likely to last. This
+he could only do by proceeding to the front of
+the train, but to reach the engine would entail
+passing the place where the mysterious three
+lurked in the shadows. In order to avoid
+them, therefore, he darted across the zone
+of light, hoping to escape observation, dived
+under the train, and made his way forward on
+the other side of the line, shielded from his
+foes by the carriages.</p>
+<p class="pnext">One glance at the derailed engine sufficed
+to show him the nature of the accident, and to
+inform him of the reason for it. A barrier
+composed of baulks of timber, supplemented
+by heaped-up ballast, had been built across the
+six-foot way, and from the excited remarks
+of driver, stoker, and guard Beaumanoir
+gathered that the locomotive was so damaged
+that even when the obstruction was removed
+it would be unable to proceed under its own
+steam. The passengers would have to wait
+till a relief train came along, unless they
+elected to trudge three miles to the next or the
+last station.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was all too plain to Beaumanoir that here
+was no accident at all, but an outrage designed
+to strand him in that lonely place, where amid
+the darkness and the confusion murder would
+come easy. The choice of the locality, half-way
+up a steep gradient where the speed
+would be reduced to a minimum, pointed to no
+desire to injure the passengers generally; indeed,
+there would have been an obvious intention
+to avoid a really perilous collision, seeing
+that some of the conspirators were on board.
+He could pretty accurately gauge Marker's
+functions now. The spy was to have kept
+close to him after the "accident," so as to signal
+his whereabouts in the darkness to the more
+active members of the gang.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The emissaries of Ziegler would have to dispense
+with that aid now, but still Beaumanoir
+could not shut his eyes to his imminent peril.
+The three who had traveled in the train were
+on the other side of the line, but the contingent—there
+would be at least two of them—who
+had wrecked the engine were probably
+lurking somewhere near. He could have no
+assurance that they were not at his very elbow,
+stealing on him through the dense undergrowth
+that fringed the fence.</p>
+<p class="pnext">A shout from the guard to the passengers
+congregated behind the train told him that at
+least half an hour must elapse before they
+could be picked up and carried on, and he at
+once decided that to stay at the spot would be
+intolerable. He should go mad if he remained
+at the mercy of invisible adversaries
+whom he could not <em class="italics">hit back</em>. If they would
+only come out into the open, in a body if they
+liked, so that he could empty the six chambers
+of his revolver into them before he went down,
+he would take his risks gladly; but to stand
+still in the dark, not knowing how soon a stab
+in the back would be his fate, was the thing too
+much. There and then he ended the situation
+by climbing the fence and plunging into the
+wood.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He had not taken six steps through the
+brambles when from the pitch darkness ahead
+a low, flute-like whistle sounded, to be instantly answered by the cracking of a twig a
+little to the right of him. His present intention
+to quit the scene and make his way to
+Prior's Tarrant on foot across country had
+evidently been foreseen and provided for.
+Those bushes were <em class="italics">occupied</em>, and his retreat at
+that point was cut off. He clambered back
+on to the railway, and, running as hard as his
+lameness would allow, close to the fence, he
+again essayed the wood two hundred yards
+ahead of the engine. This time he won free
+into the tangle of the copse without any sign
+of pursuit, and presently came to an open
+"ride" where progress was easier.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiiiat-the-keeper-s-cottage">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id14">CHAPTER XIII—<em class="italics">At the Keeper's Cottage</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The Duke followed the ride for some distance,
+the clamor of voices around the wrecked
+train growing every moment less distinct till
+they died away altogether, and he guessed that
+he was in the heart of the wood, half a mile
+from the scene of the disaster. Whether or
+no he was pursued he had no means of knowing,
+with such diabolical cunning pitted
+against him; but, at any rate, no sound of
+pursuit reached his straining ears, and he began
+to hope that his break-away had been undetected.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Suddenly the ride turned abruptly to the
+right, and at the end of a glade, some hundred
+yards further on, he saw the lights of a dwelling.
+Across the intervening years came a
+flash of remembrance. These must be the
+celebrated coverts of his neighbor, Sir Claude
+Asprey, and the house ahead must be the
+keeper's cottage where, when an Eton boy
+spending the holidays with his uncle at Prior's
+Tarrant, he had lunched as a member of Sir
+Claude's shooting-party ten years ago. The
+place was graven on his memory, because the
+day was a red-letter one by reason of his having
+shot his first pheasant thereon.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Without any definite plan in his head, but
+actuated by a longing for human companionship,
+however brief, he went up to the door of
+the cottage and knocked, his arrival being also
+heralded by the barking of dogs at the side of
+the house. The door was almost immediately
+thrown open by a stalwart, ruddy-faced man
+of sixty, who carried a candle and stared in
+open-mouthed wonder at a well-dressed visitor
+at such an hour and place. Beaumanoir
+looked at him closely, and smiled his first smile
+of pleasure since Forsyth's hand had gripped
+his on the day he landed.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I can see you've forgotten me, Mayne,"
+he said, "though I should have known you
+anywhere—time has touched you so slightly.
+Don't you recollect young Charley Hanbury,
+who came over with the Duke of Beaumanoir
+to a big shoot with Sir Claude in '91?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">A gleam shone in the honest keeper's keen
+eyes. "Of course I remember, sir," he replied,
+adding quickly: "Begging your Grace's
+pardon, for you'll be the Duke yourself now?'</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, I am the Duke, Mayne, and a
+very unfortunate one," Beaumanoir laughed.
+"There has been a mild sort of smash-up on
+the railway yonder, and I started to walk to
+Prior's Tarrant rather than hang about for a
+relief train. I was a bit hazy about my direction,
+so I thought I'd inquire, and at the same
+time reassure you that it wasn't a poacher who
+was abroad in the woods. May I come in
+while you give me my bearings?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come in, your Grace, and welcome; but it
+isn't in my house that I shall direct you. It's
+not likely that I'm going to let you wander
+about my woods on a dark night when I can
+guide you out of them myself and think it an
+honor," was the keeper's cordially respectful
+reply.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir was conscious that standing in
+a lighted doorway was hardly the place for
+him just then, and he followed into a roomy
+kitchen, professionally eloquent with its array
+of guns and sporting prints. Mayne explained
+that his wife had just gone up to bed,
+and that all the youngsters, whom perhaps it
+might please his Grace to remember, were out
+in the world.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir dropped into a chair, and to
+gratify his kindly host accepted a horn tankard
+of home-brewed ale, which he sipped
+while he satisfied Mayne's curiosity about the
+"accident." He would have given much to
+take the keeper into his confidence about the
+personal element in the outrage, but that luxury
+could not be indulged in without impossible
+disclosures. Considering that he had
+eliminated the most pertinent part of his narrative,
+he was unable to account for the growing
+gravity with which it was received till
+Mayne disburdened himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I wonder your Grace can take your narrow
+escape so lightly," said the keeper.
+"Providence must have been in two minds
+about you to-night."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How so?" asked the Duke, starting.
+Surely General Sadgrove had not been
+spreading indiscreet reports in the county already.
+There had not been time.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It isn't a fortnight since his Grace your
+uncle and your cousin were killed on the railway,"
+replied the keeper.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The coincidence had not occurred to Beaumanoir,
+nor if it had would it have troubled
+him; but he was relieved to find that Mayne's
+solemnity was due to the traditional superstition
+of a gamekeeper. To have his terrible
+secret, or so much as a hint of it, suspected by
+this cheery old associate of the happiest day
+of his boyhood would have been a blow indeed.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes," he admitted, though in a different
+sense; "I have certainly had a narrow escape,
+and it has shaken me a little, Mayne. On
+second thoughts, if you would let me lie down
+for a few hours on that very comfortable settle,
+I would defer my departure for Prior's
+Tarrant till the morning. I really don't feel
+quite equal to trudging so far to-night."</p>
+<p class="pnext">This was true enough, for though he
+was physically fit he dreaded leaving this
+haven of rest and apparent security for the
+darkling wood, in which his remorseless foes
+were probably searching for him. The promised
+escort of the unsuspecting keeper would
+be of little value, for, unwarned of any peril,
+the man would be simply an encumbrance,
+equally liable with himself to swift death at
+any moment at the hands of the enormous odds
+against them. Apart from other considerations,
+he could not subject the good fellow to
+such a risk, though he would have preferred,
+had it been possible to proceed alone, to have
+got to Prior's Tarrant that night and so have
+ended the suspense under which Forsyth and
+the General must be laboring.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Of course the proposal was hailed with delight,
+Mayne only insisting that he should
+wake his wife and get her to prepare the spare
+bedroom. Of this, however, Beaumanoir
+would not hear, and he was trying to persuade
+his host to retire for the night when a dog
+barked furiously at the back of the house.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's old Tear'em; there'll be someone
+moving," said Mayne, going out into the passage
+and listening intently.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir remained in the kitchen, but
+for all that it was he, with his highly strung
+nerves, who was the first to catch the sound of
+a footstep without—a stealthy footstep, not
+approaching the cottage door boldly, but
+creeping close to the window. The next instant,
+however, before he could communicate
+with Mayne, another and a brisker step, without
+any attempt at secrecy, crunched on the
+pebble path, and there came a tap at the cottage
+door. Mayne immediately opened it.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Sorry to disturb you, but there has been a
+railway accident," a man said in tones that
+struck Beaumanoir as vaguely familiar. "I'm
+tired of waiting about at the side of the line.
+Can you give me shelter for the night?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"If you'll please to walk in, sir, I'll see what
+can be done," came the reply of the hospitable
+keeper. "I've got one of the passengers in
+here already."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The next moment there appeared in the
+doorway of the kitchen the tall man who had
+hectored the guard at Elstree station and who
+had afterwards been joined by the spy,
+Marker, at Radlett. Whatever his purpose,
+he was plainly not disposed to lay aside his air
+of self-importance as yet. He glanced superciliously
+at Beaumanoir, and promptly appropriated
+the chair which the latter had risen
+from at the first alarm. Loyal to his own
+county, this was more than Mayne could
+stand; he hastened to effect a one-sided introduction.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Beg pardon, sir, but you've taken the
+Duke's chair," he said. "This gentleman is
+his Grace the Duke of Beaumanoir."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The newcomer rose with alacrity. "Sorry,
+I'm sure," he said, taking another seat. "We
+are companions in misfortune, Duke, if, as
+I understand, you were traveling in that
+wretched 8.45 from St. Pancras."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir's sense of humor, ever present,
+but of late repressed by stress of circumstances,
+broke out at the efforts of this man,
+who spoke with a pronounced American accent,
+and who, he was persuaded, was there
+with murderous intent, to sustain the <em class="italics">rôle</em> of
+an English gentleman. He had not forgotten
+that other and more furtive footstep under
+the window, but he could not resist the sport
+of leading this rascal on. The mood had seized
+him to avoid being killed if he could; but, if
+that were not possible, to extract all available
+fun out of the process. And it might serve
+either of these contingencies to lead his adversary
+into the belief that he was not being imposed
+on by all this specious posing.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, I was in the 8.45," he replied, looking
+the other squarely in the face. "You joined
+it at Elstree, I think. I noticed you because a
+man who was found under the seat of my compartment
+got into yours at Radlett, and I saw
+you leaving the train with him after the accident."</p>
+<p class="pnext">For the fraction of a second the man failed
+to control the answering defiance of his eyes,
+but he got a grip of himself soon enough to
+prevent a premature explosion. "Really?" he
+said, with affected carelessness. "He was under
+the seat, eh? Funny sort of person to be
+traveling first-class; but, of course, you will
+understand that I am not acquainted with
+him."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir made no comment. He had
+got what he wanted. That sudden tell-tale
+gleam of menace had discounted the subsequent
+disclaimer, and he knew that this man
+had been no chance fellow-passenger with
+Marker, the spy. What was more, the man
+knew that he knew it, and Beaumanoir
+shrewdly guessed that the effort of control
+was intended to deceive not him but the keeper.
+The rascal was biding his time till he had
+learned what dispositions were to be made for
+the night, when doubtless he would shape his
+actions accordingly; and, in the meanwhile, it
+was necessary to his purpose that Sir Claude
+Asprey's honest old retainer should regard
+him as an innocent guest.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Again that persistent reliance on the Duke's
+impotence to speak up and boldly claim protection.
+All through the hot pursuit that
+leaguered him so closely this was the bitterest
+drop in Beaumanoir's cup, for it was he himself
+who had placed the gag in his own mouth, he
+himself who had forged the fetters that kept
+him from running to Scotland Yard with an
+exposure of the whole conspiracy. And it is
+galling to be hampered by a past lapse from
+virtue when you have abandoned evil courses
+and are like to lose your life for doing so.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Now that this gentleman has come in your
+Grace will <em class="italics">have</em> to have the spare bedroom,"
+said Mayne triumphantly, moving towards the
+door. "The wife will have it ready for you in
+a brace of shakes."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir detained him with a hasty gesture.
+"One minute," he said, "I'm not at all
+sure that I care about having the bedroom. I
+had arranged to sleep downstairs on the settle,
+you know. Why shouldn't we adhere to
+that plan, and let this gentleman have the
+room?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">He was moved to discover which of the two
+sleeping-places his enemies would prefer him
+to occupy, and also by the imperative need of
+gaining time to gauge the altered circumstances.
+Moreover, if Mayne went upstairs
+to consult his wife he would be left alone with
+this great strapping potential assassin, who as
+like as not would promptly admit half a dozen
+other assassins from outside. Strangely
+enough, it was the potential assassin himself
+who solved his dilemma—by tossing a visiting-card
+on to the table.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shouldn't dream of sleeping in the bedroom
+while you are roughing it down here,
+your Grace," he said. "I shall certainly insist
+on occupying the settle."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir picked up the card and read:</p>
+<pre class="literal-block">
+Colonel Anstruther Walcot,
+  14th Dragoon Guards.
+</pre>
+<p class="pfirst">The sight of that card, for all his imminent
+danger, cheered him, as showing that his opponents
+were not infallible. Not only had
+they made the initial blunder of furnishing
+this obvious Yankee with the outward semblance
+and name of an English officer commanding
+a distinguished regiment, relying on
+the fact that the real owner of the name was
+in India, but they had chanced to select the
+name of the colonel of Beaumanoir's old regiment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The impostor's card inspired him with an
+idea. He would accept him at his own valuation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very well," he said, rising from his chair.
+"As I am the first comer, perhaps it is right
+that I should be first served. I'll take the bedroom, Mayne; but there's no need to disturb
+your wife. If you'll show me up we'll soon
+put the room to rights. Good-night, sir, and
+thank you for your courtesy."</p>
+<p class="pnext">With which he signed to the keeper to lead
+the way and followed him out, casting a glance
+at the American to see how he took the arrangement.
+Diagnosis of the man's face was,
+however, impossible, for he had already turned
+to the window and was drawing aside the curtain—to
+signal to his fellows, Beaumanoir had
+no doubt.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mayne mounted the steep cottage staircase,
+Beaumanoir limping awkwardly in his wake
+into one of two rooms on the tiny landing.
+The moment they had crossed the threshold he
+perceived that the chamber was little better
+than a trap. The man downstairs would simply
+have him at his mercy, after admitting his
+companions and probably screwing up the
+door of the keeper's sleeping apartment.
+Locks and bolts to the primitive doors there
+were none. He recognized all too late that it
+would have been better to have insisted on the
+Yankee occupying this room and on remaining
+downstairs himself, when he would at least
+have formed a wedge between the traitor in
+the camp and his colleagues outside.</p>
+<p class="pnext">To stay the night in the room was out of the
+question, and he determined to put in practice
+the inspiration derived from "Colonel Walcot's"
+card.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mayne," he said, laying his hand on the
+astonished keeper's shoulder, "I must get out
+of this at once, without the gentleman below
+being aware of it, and you must help me."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But, your Grace——" began Mayne.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Don't withstand me," Beaumanoir cut
+short the protest. "I cannot go into a long
+explanation, but it's like this. That man is
+the colonel of my former regiment—an old
+brother officer, you understand. My name was
+Hanbury then, and he either does not, or pretends
+not to, recognize me. It is not a nice
+thing to have to confess, but I borrowed money
+in those days from Colonel Walcot, which
+never till now have I had it in my power to
+repay. It would distress me greatly to have
+that money mentioned before I have repaid it,
+as I shall do to-morrow, so if you can contrive
+to let me out without his knowledge I'll make
+for Prior's Tarrant and never forget your
+assistance."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mayne scratched his grizzled head in pained
+perplexity. To his slow brain the incident of
+a wealthy nobleman fleeing in the dead of
+night from a creditor presented a startling incongruity,
+but gradually it recurred to him
+that he had heard that the new Duke had been
+"a bit wild" when in the army; and, after all,
+his reluctance to be recognized by the Colonel
+till he had had time to liquidate the debt
+seemed but natural.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, it can be done, your Grace," replied
+the keeper, softly opening the lattice casement.
+"The lean-to roof of the woodshed reaches
+right up here, and there's a pile of faggots
+against the shed. You can get down easy
+enough, and as it's the back of the house, if
+you are careful, he won't know anything about
+it. But I'll come, too, and show your Grace
+the way out of the wood."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"On no account, Mayne," said Beaumanoir
+quickly. "You'll be much more useful here.
+I'll find my way out of the wood all right, but
+you must go back to the kitchen and tell
+Colonel Walcot that I am going to bed. It's
+only a white lie, and here's a five-pound note
+on account of it. Stay with him as long as you
+can—half an hour at least—and then go to
+bed yourself."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very well, your Grace; I don't like it, but
+I'll do it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And see here, Mayne: there's one thing
+more. In the morning, or whenever Colonel
+Walcot discovers that I have gone away, tell
+him from me why I went, and that I intend
+to repay him all I owe him. <em class="italics">All I owe him</em>,
+don't forget that."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Directly he was alone Beaumanoir left himself
+no time for weighing the chances, but took
+the risk. Squeezing through the window, he
+climbed down the sloping roof of the woodshed
+and thence by way of the faggot-pile to
+the ground. He was well aware that every
+step, as he groped his way across the clearing
+into the thicket, might be his last, for doubtless
+he had been traced to the cottage and the
+whole pack were somewhere about. His only
+hope lay in the probability that they were in
+front of the house, where they could hold themselves
+ready to obey signals from the kitchen
+window or a summons from the door.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It might have been that this was the case,
+for Beaumanoir reached the trees without interference,
+and at once shaped a course for the
+edge of the wood. His progress was difficult
+by reason of the darkness and the density of
+the undergrowth, but fortune favored him in
+so far that he presently hit upon a public foot-path,
+and so came eventually to a stile giving
+on a high road. At the next cross-ways was
+a sign-post, which he read by the light of a
+wax match, and thence onward limped steadily
+forward for Prior's Tarrant, with growing
+confidence that he had eluded pursuit.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Great, then, was his dismay when, on turning
+into his own park, he became conscious
+that he was being shadowed by someone whose
+stealthy pid-pad sounded resolutely behind
+him. As he mounted the terrace steps it grew
+louder; the man who was following him was
+close behind and gaining quickly. Something
+in the Duke's tired brain seemed to snap, and
+with just a glance at the lighted window of
+the dining-room where General Sadgrove was
+in the act of drawing up the blind, he turned
+at the top of the steps and flung himself, half
+mad with rage and terror, on the faithful Azimoolah,
+who had picked him up near the sign-post
+and shepherded him safely for the rest of
+the journey.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xivtoo-many-women">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id15">CHAPTER XIV—<em class="italics">Too Many Women</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">General Sadgrove relaxed his grip on
+Azimoolah's lean neck, not as a consequence
+of Alec Forsyth's exclamation, but because he
+and his captive had crossed the threshold of
+the French window—gone "off," in fact, from
+the stage on which he had been playing a little
+comedy for the benefit of an invisible audience.
+Forsyth guessed at once that the pulley-hauley
+business on the terrace had only been a sham,
+from the half-playful push with which his
+uncle released the now passive Indian, and
+also from the more than half-contemptuous
+glance flung at himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The next moment the other party to the
+tussle on the terrace elucidated the matter by
+walking up to the window instead of running
+away. It was the Duke himself, outwardly
+calm, but somewhat disheveled by the fray,
+and looking very sleepy. Entering the room
+he gave Forsyth's hand an affectionate
+squeeze, and turned to secure the window.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's all right," he said, in the listless tone
+that he always used nowadays. "When the
+train got stuck up I smelt rats, and cleared out
+from the locality—thought it better to cut
+across country on foot than to stay about a
+spot where I was probably being looked for.
+But this beggar," pointing to Azimoolah,
+standing at "attention," proudly erect, "must
+have shadowed me, and caught me up just as
+I was coming to tap at the window. You will
+confer a great favor on me by letting him go."</p>
+<p class="pnext">This dogged determination to take no prisoners
+strengthened the General's suspicions of
+his host, and there was a harsh ring in the
+laugh with which he explained that Azimoolah
+was his own emissary, who, on returning from
+the scene of the accident, had mistaken the
+Duke for one of their unknown adversaries.
+He did not mention that there were two genuine
+prowlers outside who, but for Azimoolah's
+intervention, would have fallen on their prey,
+and who were probably intensely puzzled by
+finding someone else playing the same game
+as themselves.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And now, if your Grace will go to bed, I
+will guarantee you a good night's rest," added
+the General. "You must not forget that you
+will have ladies to entertain to-morrow."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir gave a tired shrug.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Even without that inducement I'd take
+your prescription, General," he replied. "This
+hide-and-seek is rather wearing; but if you two
+good fellows can keep me in the land of the
+living for the next few days, I shan't worry
+you further."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He left the room, dragging his lame foot
+painfully, and the General, stricken with a
+sudden sympathy, whispered Forsyth to accompany
+him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The poor beggar is troubled," he said.
+"Sleep on the sofa in his room, and don't be
+afraid to close your eyes—as soon as <em class="italics">he</em> is
+asleep. Azimoolah and I will see there's no
+bother. But your friend mustn't be left alone.
+Danger from his own pistol—see?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth nodded with grieved comprehension,
+and followed the Duke. On his departure
+the General turned to Azimoolah, who had
+stood like a statue since his release, and the
+twain exchanged a twinkle of mutual congratulation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"We managed that quite in the old style, O
+taker of many thieves," said the General in
+Hindustani. "'Twas well that you heard and
+quickly obeyed my whisper to offer resistance,
+for so we have deceived the malefactors who
+beheld us into the belief that you also are an
+enemy of the house."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The sahib's praise is sweet as the honey of
+Kashmir," responded Azimoolah, gravely.
+"Is it the Heaven-born's will that I should go
+out and slay these dealers in iniquity?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The commission entrusted to him, however,
+held promise of no such luxury. On the contrary,
+Azimoolah received strict injunction to
+avoid violence except in the last extremity—in
+self-defence or to prevent entry into the
+house. The duty laid down for him was to
+patrol the grounds, and instantly apprise the
+General of any action on the part of the two
+trespassers that pointed to a renewal of aggressiveness
+that night.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shall remain in this room till daybreak;
+if anything occurs, make the signal outside,"
+were the General's final instructions as he
+loosed his human watch-dog on to the terrace,
+after putting out the lights to conceal the
+opening of the window. Then, having carefully
+closed it, he sat himself down in the dark,
+and presently slumbered, secure in the knowledge that none could approach the mansion
+while Azimoolah was on guard. Also, he was
+pretty sure that the siege would not be raised
+till the two prowlers should have reported to
+their superiors the doings and, as they would
+believe, the capture of the strange rival who
+had forestalled them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General's confidence was justified, for
+the night passed without further alarms, and
+the three gentlemen met at the breakfast-table
+under ordinary country-house conditions. The
+servants being in the room, no reference was
+made to the abnormal circumstances that had
+brought them together, though Beaumanoir,
+in the course of reading letters that had come
+by post, held up a gorgeously monogrammed
+note, and remarked that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+had accepted his invitation and would be
+with them on the morrow.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She writes rather flippantly for a stranger,"
+he added, eyeing the scented missive
+doubtfully, but not offering to show it. "I
+hope it's all right for her to meet my cousin
+Sybil, and—er—the other ladies. She's coming
+on your recommendation, you know, General,
+so you must vouch for her good behavior."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sadgrove growled unintelligibly, and was
+at pains to conceal a sudden upheaval of his
+facial muscles. For the Duke's reference to
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton in her relations to the
+other guests had all at once opened up to his
+mind a contingency which he had overlooked—a
+terrible contingency, which demanded instant
+consideration before the American
+widow was admitted to the house. He made
+an early excuse for quitting the table, and,
+exacting a promise that Beaumanoir and Forsyth
+would for the present remain indoors, he
+went out into the park to face the position
+alone, and thresh it out to a conclusion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Walking under the trees in the historic elm
+avenue, it was not till he had smoked a whole
+cigar and lit another that he was able to
+approach the problem with anything like
+calmness. For he was suffering from the
+humiliation of having to admit that he had
+committed the grievous error of imperiling
+the life of a woman—one, too, whom he held
+in affectionate regard only second to his wife.
+If his suspicion of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+was as well founded as instinct told him, she
+ought never to have been asked to stay under
+the same roof as Sybil Hanbury, her victorious
+rival in the affections of a man who had repulsed her advances by stolidly ignoring them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Gad! but I'd cut my hand off rather than
+harm should come to that girl, let alone never
+being able to look Alec in the face again," he
+muttered, as he gnawed his white mustache in
+perplexity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The situation was indeed serious from the
+point of view that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+was head of a gang of international criminals,
+and that she was, moreover, as he put it in his
+simple soldier phrase, "sweet upon" his nephew
+Alec. If, for her as yet unexplained ends, she
+would not stick at assassinating the Duke of
+Beaumanoir, she would be capable of wreaking
+a deadly vengeance on the girl who had
+won the heart she hungered for. Once installed
+as a guest in the mansion, she would
+have plenty of facilities of which she might
+make venomous use. The General had engineered
+her invitation with the laudable purpose
+of keeping her under constant observation
+and of making communication with her confederates
+difficult; but in his zeal for check-mating
+her predatory designs he had forgotten
+her amatory ones.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was true that Sybil's engagement had
+not yet been published to the world, but the
+Shermans, who were also to be the Duke's
+guests, knew of it, and to enter into explanations
+with Mrs. Sherman, the voluble and
+unsophisticated, would be going far towards
+defeating his cherished hope of protecting that
+lady's husband from the gang without implicating
+the Duke. As it was, the invitation of
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, of which he was
+suspected of being the cause, had excited more
+than curiosity among his American visitors,
+who had nearly upset his arrangements by
+canceling their own visit on learning that their
+mysterious fellow countrywoman was to be of
+the party. One crumb of comfort he derived
+from the fact that in all things he could rely
+on his wife's discretion. Though they had exchanged
+no word on the subject, he knew that,
+without penetrating or wishing to penetrate
+his motive in trafficking with Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton, his wife guessed that he had one;
+he knew that he could depend upon her unquestioning
+aid if he asked for it.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I guess I've bitten off more than I can
+chew, as Sherman himself would put it," he
+mused, with a sigh for the old days of jingling
+bridle-chains and night rides, when he had
+merrily run down his Thugs and Dacoits without female influence upsetting his calculations.
+The female influence had been there, doubtless,
+with all its jealousies and consequent treacheries;
+but all that had been Azimoolah's department.
+It had fallen to the silent-footed,
+black-bearded Pathan to explore the under-currents
+of social life in the native villages,
+and he had not worried his chief with details
+till the patient sapping of traitorous brains
+was done, and all that remained was to sally
+forth and hunt the faithless lover or erring
+husband who was also a breaker of laws. Azimoolah's
+knowledge in India of the eternal
+feminine had been extensive and peculiar; but
+the General felt that he could not with propriety
+set him poking into love affairs which
+included Sybil Hanbury in its scope.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Another point which harassed the General's
+soul was the new light shed on the Duke's
+attitude towards Mrs. Talmage Eglinton by
+his mild displeasure at the style of her note.
+The General was assured that the remark at
+the breakfast-table had been the genuine expression
+of an honest doubt as to the fitness
+of the sparkling widow to mix with gentle-women;
+whereas the Duke could have had no
+doubt whatever if he had had relations with
+the gang of whom he, the General, believed
+this woman to be the moving spirit. It certainly
+seemed that the Duke was ignorant that
+she was a dangerous adventuress, for, though
+he might have suspected her of designs
+against himself and yet have consented to her
+presence at Prior's Tarrant, he would never
+have subjected Sybil to the peril of daily intercourse
+with a potential murderess. All
+along Beaumanoir had shown a chivalrous disposition
+to protect his cousin from even minor
+annoyances.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Perhaps there are two distinct crowds
+after Sherman's gold bonds, and Beaumanoir
+is in with the Ziegler lot, and Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton is playing against them," the General
+mused as he turned his steps back to the
+house. "To think that the fellow holds the
+key of it all, and won't speak, is what riles
+me."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The immediate dilemma confronted him
+whether or no to impart to his nephew the
+cause for alarm that had arisen about Sybil.
+He had been surprised at first that a man of
+Alec Forsyth's shrewdness had not seen for
+himself a danger threatening the girl he loved;
+but closer examination disclosed a reason.
+Forsyth was too modest, too little of a coxcomb,
+for it to occur to him that violence could
+result from a misplaced passion for himself.
+On the whole, the General decided that, as
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton was not due till the
+next day, he would say nothing to Alec at
+present.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"If I can make Beaumanoir disgorge his
+secret, the trouble may not arise," he comforted
+himself. Though the veteran's faith in
+himself was shaken, and he wished he had resisted
+the temptation to meddle with crime
+outside his old Eastern sphere, he was not the
+man to take his hand from the plough. He
+would devote all his diplomacy to penetrating
+the cause of the Duke's obstinate silence.</p>
+<p class="pnext">As he had anticipated, there was a lull that
+day in the activity of the enemy—at any rate
+of overt attempts. No communication reached
+him from Azimoolah, who would certainly
+have been heard from if suspicious characters
+had been on the move in the neighborhood of
+the mansion; for, though unseen, that tireless
+tracker might be trusted to be at his post,
+which was anywhere and everywhere within
+the radius of a mile. The denser thickets of
+the park possibly concealed him, or it might be
+that he hovered in the nearer precincts of the
+gardens, unseen but ready. His presence relieved
+the General from disturbing the routine
+of the household by special instructions to the
+servants, who were still fluttered by the lassooing
+of the lame gardener on the previous Sunday.
+So far, all the precaution that the
+General had delegated to others than himself
+and Forsyth was to give the bailiff a quiet
+hint, as a message from the Duke, not to admit
+the "artists" to the park, should they present
+themselves again. But up to the hour of
+luncheon the painters of "deer like unto swine"
+had not renewed their application or put in an
+appearance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the afternoon Beaumanoir, shaking off
+some of his weary apathy, went down to the
+portico with his male guests to receive the four
+ladies, who arrived in time for tea, which, with
+the General's acquiescence, was to be taken on
+the terrace. No sooner were the first greetings
+over than Mrs. Sadgrove caught her husband's
+eye and telegraphed the information that she
+had something for his private ear at the earliest
+opportunity. He therefore contrived to lag
+behind with her while Beaumanoir did the
+honors to Leonie and her mother, and Forsyth
+paired off with Sybil, as the party mounted
+the marble steps to the terrace.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Jem," said Mrs. Sadgrove, scanning the
+rugged face of her spouse with a sidelong
+scrutiny, "I received an anonymous letter this
+morning. Let them get ahead a bit, and I'll
+show it to you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The screed which she put into his hand contained
+but five words:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">There is danger from Ziegler.</em>"</p>
+<p class="pnext">General Sadgrove's Eastern experiences
+had not educated him into an expert in calligraphy,
+but it needed no particular insight to
+perceive that this was a lady's handwriting,
+clumsily disguised. He transferred his attention
+to the paper, half a sheet of "note";
+and here he was rewarded with a startling discovery.
+He had noticed that the letter of acceptance
+from Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, which
+the Duke had received at breakfast, had been
+heavily charged with a peculiar perfume, and
+this unsigned missive was simply reeking of
+the same pungent fragrance. He had sat
+next the Duke, and knew that there was no
+mistake.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have no idea who sent this?" he asked.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I seem to recognize the scent as having
+come to me before in notes—proper, signed
+notes," Mrs. Sadgrove replied, evasively. And
+then she added, with gentle significance, not
+from curiosity, but from a desire to help him
+in case he did not know: "I heard the name
+of Ziegler when we were calling at the Cecil
+yesterday. It was mentioned, I think, by one
+of the attendants as that of the gentleman
+occupying the rooms where the disturbance
+was."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General looked hard at her, and saw
+that his little drama had not deceived the companion
+of his Indian days.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes," he said, shortly. "Do not trouble
+about this, Madge. It's all in the day's work."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But he himself was greatly troubled, inasmuch
+as if that anonymous warning came
+from Mrs. Talmage Eglinton all his "case"
+was demolished, and a perfect maze of new
+problems was presented. A warning from
+her would be presumptive evidence that she
+was an ally, and—sad blow to his <em class="italics">amour
+propre</em>—would stultify all the theories he had
+based on what he had fondly hoped was an
+unerring intuition. He would have to begin
+all over again, solacing himself—and it was
+no small solace—with the reflection that he
+had raised an unnecessary bogey in anticipating
+danger to Sybil Hanbury from Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton's visit.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Yet by the time he reached the top of the
+terrace steps reaction had set in, and he began
+to think that his brain could not have lost all
+its cunning. For, unless in the very improbable
+event of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton having
+found out something about the mysterious
+Ziegler through occupying the next suite to
+him since yesterday, she must still be the heart
+and core of the evil influence he had to combat.
+Without knowledge she would not have been
+in a position to warn; and, like the Duke, how
+could she have obtained knowledge without
+complicity? Why, too, should she also be
+unwilling to use her knowledge openly? No,
+he came back to the opinion that there must
+originally have been one gigantic plot against
+Senator Sherman's precious charge, and that
+there must have been a split in the camp; but
+from which section, or whether by both sections,
+the Duke was threatened was an irritating
+conundrum. Anyhow, Sybil Hanbury's
+peril assumed ugly shape again in the General's
+mind.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The woman must have sent it to mislead—to throw dust in my eyes," he murmured, not
+knowing that he spoke aloud. And following
+up that train of reasoning he found it grow
+into conviction. The letter was not really
+anonymous. That is to say, the writer had
+been at particular pains to disclose her identity
+by means of the scent if General Sadgrove
+deemed the communication sent to his wife of
+sufficient importance to investigate. The letter
+had been despatched, he now felt assured,
+with the express purpose of whitewashing the
+sender in the event of any further "accident"
+happening to the Duke. In short, he was of
+opinion that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had suspected
+his manoeuvre at the hotel, and had
+devised this method of hoodwinking him, and
+of diverting his vigilance from herself during
+her forthcoming visit if her suspicions were
+correct. The craftiness of the idea was obvious,
+and the General was beginning to be
+delighted with his perspicacity when, lo and
+behold, the whole fabric crumbled again, from
+a flaw at the very base of the structure. It
+was inconceivable that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton,
+if she was guilty of criminal intent, should
+have directed his thoughts to Ziegler, who, if
+not a confederate, was certainly part and
+parcel of the mystery.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Too many women in it," he growled, testily,
+unaware, in the brown study into which
+he had fallen, that he had seated himself in
+one of the cane chairs round about the tea-table
+at which Sybil Hanbury was already
+presiding. He was also unconscious that he
+had expressed himself audibly—at least, so
+far as concerned Sybil, who at that moment
+happened to be handing him his cup. Indeed,
+he repeated the phrase, the sentiment of it
+growing in vigor from the sight of Leonie
+Sherman listening to Beaumanoir's description
+of his ancestral home, and of Mrs. Sherman
+and Mrs. Sadgrove talking to Alec
+Forsyth.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil gave the old man a queer look, more
+affectionate than reproachful; and when she
+had finished pouring out tea came and took a
+vacant seat beside him. For a while she drank
+her tea in silence, stealing a half-amused
+glance now and then at the puckered face of
+the checked hunter of men. The General was
+gazing moodily across the green expanse of
+park, wishing with all his heart that Azimoolah,
+on guard out there in the leafy solitudes, was a fitting oracle to consult in a
+matter touching the private feelings of <em class="italics">memsahibs</em>.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No," he growled regretfully, and again
+aloud; "this must be a white man's war."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil leaned over and tapped his knee with
+her gold tea-spoon. The General started,
+smiled fatuously at the celebrated Beaumanoir
+heirloom, as though he were expected to admire
+it, and then suddenly came down from the
+clouds, realizing that the young woman with
+the bright eyes searching his face was something
+more than a source of anxiety to him.
+She was a factor to be reckoned with, and if
+he was a judge of the human countenance she
+was about to enforce that view.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A white man's war with too many women
+in it, General?" she asked, archly. "Isn't that
+rather an anomaly?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's gospel truth," the General replied,
+with sturdy insistence. "Sign of senile decay,
+though, thinking aloud."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">You</em> are not decayed. You might as well
+accuse <em class="italics">me</em> of being in my first childhood, and
+I have really passed that," Sybil smiled back
+at him. "But," she added, "I am childish
+enough to be a little hurt that you don't appear
+to think so."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear girl, what have I done? 'Pon
+honor, I don't know that I have done anything,"
+the General protested piteously.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's just it. It's because you have done
+nothing, or next to nothing, that your contemptuous
+reference to 'too many women'
+seems to me a trifle unkind," replied Sybil,
+pretending to misunderstand him. "What
+would have happened to my cousin, when the
+panel was cut the other night at Beaumanoir
+House, if it hadn't been for a woman?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General accepted the reproof in
+thoughtful silence, forced to admit to himself
+that it was not uncalled for. If it had not
+been for Sybil Hanbury's nerve and courage
+on the occasion when the bogus detective officer
+had secreted himself in the Duke's town house,
+the answer to her question might have had to
+be written in blood. Her quick apprehension
+of subtle danger, her determination to sit up
+and watch, and her cool presence of mind in
+face of the emergency when it arose, had saved
+the situation and stamped her as of sterling
+metal.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I apologize," he jerked out presently. "I
+still think there are too many women in the
+business, but you ain't one of 'em."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thank you," Sybil returned, drily. "And,
+that being so, wouldn't it be a good plan to ask
+a woman to help you, on the principle of setting
+a thief to catch a thief, you know?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General shot a rather shamefaced
+glance at the firm mouth and steadfast eyes
+of this plucky young enthusiast, and thereupon
+he decided to enlist her as an adviser in
+the more intricate questions that vexed him.
+There was the chance that woman's wit would
+fathom woman's guile, and tell him why Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton should want to point the
+index of suspicion at Ziegler, who was probably
+her <em class="italics">confrère</em> in crime. Woman's wit
+might even tell him why his Grace the Duke
+of Beaumanoir, engaged in such a simple
+ducal pastime as making sheep's-eyes at a
+pretty American girl, should yet recoil abashed
+whenever Leonie turned her frankly responsive
+but puzzled gaze on him. Above all,
+the course proposed would enable this brave
+English girl to do what he was beginning to
+fear he could not do for her—to take care of
+herself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes," he said, putting down his cup with
+a grim smile, "I'll take you on, soon as you've
+finished your tea. And," he added, fumbling
+for his cigar-case, "I'll try and not frighten
+you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil rose at once, and together they strolled
+along the terrace to a distance from the chatter
+round the tea-table, which had drowned their
+incipient confidences. When they were quite
+out of earshot Sybil turned and confronted the
+General, and the lighter tone with which she
+had "played" him was lacking now.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Tell me," she said gravely, "why Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton is so anxious to kill my
+poor cousin and spoil that charming idyll."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mrs. Talmage Eglinton!" stammered the
+General. "How on earth did you know that?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How did I know!" his new coadjutor repeated
+with scorn. "In the same way that she
+must know herself that <em class="italics">you</em> know, you dear
+silly old man. Because of the absolutely absurd
+invitation to her to come and stay here at
+Prior's Tarrant without rhyme or reason."</p>
+<p class="pnext">And then, when General Sadgrove had recovered
+from the shock of finding that he was
+not quite inscrutable, they talked, very seriously,
+for upwards of half an hour.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xva-new-cure-for-headache">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id16">CHAPTER XV—<em class="italics">A New Cure for Headache</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">"I wonder if General Sadgrove and Mr.
+Forsyth are lunatics?" Sybil Hanbury purred
+softly, after joining in the chorus of thanks
+which greeted a superb rendering of Strelezki's
+"Arlequin" on the long disused grand
+piano in the tapestry-room. This apartment
+was more cozy and homelike than the vast
+white drawing-room at Beaumanoir House, but
+it was quite large enough for isolated conversations.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The uncomplimentary confidence was made
+into the shell-like ear of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton,
+who, faultlessly gowned by Worth, was
+sitting apart with her nominal hostess in the
+embrasure of an oriel window. The Duke was
+hovering near the piano, and Forsyth was talking
+to Mrs. Sadgrove and Mrs. Sherman. The
+General was not present, having excused himself
+from coming straight from the dining-room
+on the plea of having a letter to write.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil's disjointed remark—for it followed
+a discussion on French cookery—caused a
+sudden twist of the ivory shoulders towards
+her, the swift eagerness of the movement being
+discounted by the languorous stare of slowly
+interested surprise. There was a hint of resentment,
+perhaps also a trace of alarm, in the
+wheeling of the décolletée shoulders; in the
+stare these emotions were corrected into a mild
+desire to hear more of such a sweeping surmise.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Lunatics—those two!" Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+exclaimed, in well-modulated astonishment.
+"That's what you English call rather
+a large order, isn't it? What makes you say
+so?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Hush! My cousin is trying to persuade
+Miss Sherman to sing," replied Sybil. "Wait
+till she has begun, and I'll tell you. It's too
+funny to keep to one's self."</p>
+<p class="pnext">For two days now the house-party at Prior's
+Tarrant had been increased by the elegant
+addition of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, and on
+the surface matters were pursuing their normal
+course. The Duke had received his latest
+guest with a democratic courtesy none the less
+cordial because of her floridly expressed note,
+which in the stress of other preoccupations he
+had forgotten altogether. He had a vague
+idea that the General had wished the vivacious
+American to be included because she was a
+fellow countrywoman of the Shermans, and
+that was quite enough to ensure his good-will
+towards her.</p>
+<p class="pnext">This view was so far from being the right
+one that Mrs. Sherman and Leonie had only
+succeeded in being coldly polite to the latest
+arrival. Mrs. Sadgrove, with an inkling that
+the beautifully dressed but too effusive American
+was an important factor in her husband's
+schemes, was more outwardly complacent, but
+it was reserved for Sybil to shower upon Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton special civilities which had
+ended, after two days only, in their becoming
+constant companions, if not bosom friends.
+If the handsome visitor wanted to walk in the
+park or to be shown some object of interest in
+the gardens, Sybil was always at hand to accompany
+her; and if it rained, as it had done
+all this day, she spent hours in entertaining her
+in her own rooms.</p>
+<p class="pnext">As for Forsyth, Sybil deserted him entirely;
+and as the other ladies abstained from discussing
+personal topics before the unpopular
+guest, there had been no making known beyond
+the small circle who knew it already of
+the new secretary's engagement to his employer's
+cousin. Singularly enough, this was
+one of the very few subjects which the girl did
+not touch upon in her confidences to her new
+friend.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Presently the importunities of the Duke,
+backed by a general murmur of request, prevailed,
+and Leonie began a quaint old melody
+in a clear contralto that at any other time
+would have held Sybil an enthralled listener.
+As it was, she took instant advantage of the
+rippling flood of sound that filled the room to
+resume her talk, though for the moment the
+continuity was not apparent.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Beaumanoir House was burgled the other
+night, and we caught a man trying to get into
+my cousin's bedroom," she whispered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No. Really? I—I saw nothing in the
+papers," replied Mrs. Talmage Eglinton in
+even tones, but with another turn of the white
+shoulders and a sudden shading of her eyes
+the better to watch the fair narrator's face.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That was because the Duke let the man go—didn't
+want any fuss just after coming into
+the title; and quite reasonable, I call it," Sybil
+proceeded. "And that's where the fun comes
+in. Mr. Forsyth insists that my cousin is the
+proposed victim of some diabolical plot, anarchist
+or otherwise, and he took General Sadgrove
+into his confidence. The old gentleman,
+as you may not be aware, was a sort of policeman
+in India, and is cracked on finding out
+things. Naturally, to one of that temperament,
+the mystery Mr. Forsyth chose to make
+out of a vulgar attempt at robbery was like a
+spark on tinder, and the General caught on at
+once. They're both fairly on the job—as
+amateur detectives, you know—and they think
+they've got a clue."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How truly interesting! And the clue?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Of the most remote kind—not even arrived
+at, <em class="italics">à la</em> Sherlock Holmes, by inspecting cigarette
+ashes. It seems that Mr. Forsyth—who,
+by the way, had been to leave a card on you—met
+the Duke at the Cecil, coming away
+from the suite of a Mr. Ziegler. He chose
+to think that my cousin was looking agitated,
+whereas he was only tired after his voyage.
+Mr. Ziegler, therefore, if you please, has fallen
+under the ban of suspicion from these wiseacres,
+and is supposed to be murderously inclined
+towards the poor Duke. Even the mischief
+of some wretched boy in playing tricks
+with the train he traveled by the other night
+is attributed to this probably harmless Mr.
+Ziegler."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And his Grace—does he also attribute
+these things to the same quarter?" asked Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton, scarcely with the breathless
+interest due to such tremendous doings.
+She had a way of opening her eyes wide when
+putting a question—a mannerism which had
+the effect of creating doubt whether she was
+intensely eager or only bored.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He thinks it all nonsense—same as I do,"
+Sybil made answer. "He has told these over-clever
+gentlemen to leave the thing alone, and
+I expect if he finds out what the General is
+up to that he'll turn them both out of the
+house and give Mr. Forsyth his dismissal. Of
+course, you won't say anything—will you?—because
+I'm only a poor relation, and I can't
+afford to offend people."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am discretion itself. What is General
+Sadgrove up to, dear?" was the reply.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sybil's pretty mouth bent close to confide
+the startling fact that the General was going
+to London in the morning with the intention
+of bearding Mr. Ziegler in his den—otherwise,
+in his rooms at the Cecil. If he should be refused
+permission to see Ziegler, or, seeing
+him, should be unable to satisfy himself of his
+respectability, he was going straight on to
+Scotland Yard to impart his suspicions to the
+authorities. Sybil sketched the carrying out
+of this amazing programme and its probable
+consequences with much animation and ridicule,
+but her hearer's interest tailed off into undisguised
+indifference, ending in a deliberate
+yawn.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What a very stupid affair!" Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton murmured. "Do you know, it has
+made me quite sleepy, and—and I think I'll
+go to bed. I have started a real, clawing,
+hammering headache. Shouldn't wonder if I
+am not laid up to-morrow."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Nodding a good-night to the others, she rose
+and swept from the room, followed by Sybil,
+who, profusely sympathetic, insisted on accompanying
+her to her own apartments. At the
+door of the latter a dark-eyed, slender woman,
+in a black dress with broad white collar and
+cuffs, was standing. This was Rosa, the
+French maid, on whose services Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton professed herself entirely dependent.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"One of my headaches, Rosa. The pink
+draught—quickly!" cried the incipient invalid,
+and pausing on the threshold she bade an affectionate good-night to her girlish admirer.
+"I am not really ill—only a little run down,"
+she assured her. "I do <em class="italics">hope</em> I shan't have to
+keep my room to-morrow."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The brilliant vision of Parisian elegance
+having vanished into the room, Sybil made her
+way downstairs, and in the hall encountered
+General Sadgrove, who wore a light overcoat
+over his evening things and a gray felt hat.
+He was engaged in wiping the wet from his
+patent-leather shoes with his handkerchief, but
+looked up on Sybil's approach, and, removing
+his hat, went on with his occupation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Still raining?" said Sybil, carelessly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Like the very—I mean, like it used to in
+the monsoon," the General checked himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">No more passed, except a slight raising of
+the old soldier's eyebrows and a corresponding
+droop of one of the lady's eyelids. The General
+having restored the gloss to his footgear
+and doffed his overcoat, they went on with
+linked arms to the tapestry-room, where, however,
+the party shortly broke up, the ladies to
+retire for the night, and the men to go to the
+smoking-room. The Duke remained but a
+short time, leaving the General and Forsyth
+with the playful remark that he was growing
+quite bold after two days' immunity, and
+hoped they would not sit up all night—which
+was exactly what one or other of them had
+been doing ever since they came to Prior's
+Tarrant, and, moreover, what they intended
+to do for the present.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Sybil has done her part," said the General,
+as soon as he was alone with his nephew.
+"And I have prepared Azimoolah to be on the
+lookout for results. He tells me that the men
+in the dog-cart were outside the park wall
+again last night, and that there was the same
+exhibition of a red lamp in that infernal
+French maid's window."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"An abortive attempt at communication?"
+asked Forsyth.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That or something worse," replied the General.
+"It may only be that the woman inside
+wants to confer with her confederates without;
+or it may be that the red lamp is a signal to
+them not to approach any nearer or try to get
+into the house. I incline to the latter being
+the explanation, as on each occasion the men in
+the cart have driven off immediately on seeing
+the red lamp, and there has been no attempt at
+short or long flashes, or any sort of code talk,
+Azimoolah tells me. In either case, it points
+to those beauties upstairs being aware that you
+and I are on guard, and that any attempt on
+their part to give admission to outsiders would
+be frustrated."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But if she knows that a watch is being
+kept, surely madam will not dare to leave the
+house?" suggested Forsyth, in the tentative
+tone that was necessary to preserve his uncle's
+good humor.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"If she does, it will show that she's cornered,
+and that Sybil's guess has hit the bull's eye,"
+said the General, adding, with a significant
+grimace, "a preparatory headache has been
+started already. You had better go to bed
+and leave me to see to the commencement of
+the cure."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Two hours later Azimoolah Khan, lying
+flattened out like a huge lizard on the parapet
+of the terrace, and thanking Allah that the
+rain had ceased, suddenly pricked up his ears
+and thanked Allah again that the time for relieving
+his cramped limbs had come. At first
+his ears were the only part of his body affected
+by the slight sound he had heard, but some
+thirty seconds later, keeping the rest of him
+motionless, he goggled his eyes round to one
+of the ground-floor windows and saw—seeing
+in the dark was one of his accomplishments—a
+female figure turn from it and flit along the
+terrace towards the steps leading down to the
+park. Waiting till the figure had gained the
+lower level, he slid from the parapet and gave
+noiseless chase.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The woman in front spared no precaution
+to guard against pursuit. She stopped many
+times and listened; she doubled on her tracks;
+and as soon as she reached the woodland belt
+she proved to be an expert in the art of taking
+cover. But she had to do with probably the
+most wily exponent of woodcraft at that moment
+in England, and her pursuer was never
+at fault. Dark as the night was, Azimoolah
+never lost her for an instant. With sinuous
+movements that never caused a twig to crack,
+the lithe Pathan was always creeping, gliding,
+dodging close behind, till he stopped within
+ten paces of the park wall, and from the shelter
+of an oak trunk watched his quarry nimbly
+climb the obstacle. No sooner had she disappeared
+than he swung himself to the top of
+the wall, and peered over just as a horse broke
+into a trot on the other side.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Piercing the gloom, his keen sight distinguished
+the shape of a fast-receding rubber-tired dog-cart, in which three figures were
+seated; and, having fulfilled his mission, he
+dropped back to the ground. In a few minutes
+he was on the terrace again, hissing like
+a cobra outside the smoking-room. General
+Sadgrove opened the French casement.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The daughter of Sheitan came from the
+fifth window, and has gone away, even as the
+sahib predicted, in the cart with two men,"
+Azimoolah reported.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Which road did they take?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"To the left—the Senalban road, sahib."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"St. Albans, eh? Then she's going to
+catch the 3.15 up night mail," muttered the
+General. "Well, good-night, old <em class="italics">jungle-wallah</em>.
+You've got your orders," he added, closing
+and bolting the window.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The next morning there were two absentees
+from the breakfast-table—General Sadgrove,
+who by overnight arrangement had breakfasted
+by himself, so as to be driven to Tarrant
+Road in time for the nine o'clock train to
+town, and Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, who was
+confined to her bed by a bad headache. The
+news of the indisposition was imparted to
+Sybil by the maid Rosa at her mistress's door,
+and was accompanied by a regretful but firm
+refusal of admission to the patient.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Madame is so <em class="italics">désolée</em> not to receive you,
+ma'amselle, but she 'ave ze malady too
+strr-rong for speak even with her dearest
+friend," was the ultimatum which sent Miss
+Hanbury from the door with a doleful face,
+which somehow took quite a different expression
+when she had turned the corner.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For some mysterious reason her aloofness
+from her lover vanished that morning, and she
+and Forsyth were on the best of terms. They
+spent two hours together wandering in the
+park, where in one of the more remote glades
+Azimoolah flitted up to them from the bushes,
+and, regarding Sybil with awe-struck veneration,
+made a deep salaam and was gone. The
+Duke, who had given his word of honor to the
+General not to go beyond the park gates,
+passed the time partly with his bailiff and
+partly strolling with Leonie in the gardens
+and glass-houses. The friendship between
+Beaumanoir and his beautiful guest, so promisingly
+begun on board the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em>, seemed
+to have lost ground. Though he was much in
+her society, he avoided intimate topics, and
+often puzzled her with a hastily averted look
+of wistful tenderness in strange contrast to his
+assiduous but commonplace hospitality.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Half an hour before luncheon General Sadgrove,
+returning on foot from the station and
+looking five years older for his run up to London,
+met the two young couples, who had now
+joined forces, as they were entering the mansion.
+Forsyth gave his uncle an anxious
+glance of inquiry, but the old man passed him
+by unheeding, and addressed the Duke in a
+tone of icy formality.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shall be obliged if your Grace will give
+me five minutes in the library on a very urgent
+matter," he said, adding, with significant emphasis,
+"<em class="italics">I have been with Mr. Ziegler this
+morning.</em>"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir, gone all pale and tremulous,
+made a palpable effort at self-control as he
+replied:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Come into the library by all means, General.
+But I am afraid you will find me quite
+as reticent as I am sure Ziegler was."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The interview lasted till long after the
+luncheon gong had sounded, and when at
+length the Duke and the General entered the
+dining-room two pairs of watchful eyes observed
+that their relative attitudes had been
+reversed. The General's usually impassive
+face was working so painfully that Mrs. Sadgrove
+half rose from her chair at sight of her
+husband, checking herself with difficulty;
+while the Duke bore himself almost jauntily,
+and began chaffing Sybil about her devotion
+to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, who was still, by
+latest bulletin from Rosa, "suffering ze grand
+torments" and unable to leave her room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The afternoon passed without external signs
+that the house-party was living on the verge
+of an active volcano. But as it was growing
+dusk Forsyth, at the risk of being late for dinner,
+took a solitary walk in the direction of a
+certain stile, by which the Prior's Tarrant pastures
+were approached by a short cut across
+fields from Tarrant Road railway station.
+He arrived at the stile in the nick of time to
+give a helping hand to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton,
+who had just reached the spot from the
+opposite direction. The hour was the one
+when the guests at the house might be expected
+to be dressing for dinner, and it also tallied
+with the arrival of a London train at the station;
+but neither alluded to these incidentals
+of such an obviously chance meeting.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I trust that your headache is better," said
+Forsyth, politely.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the headache, he was assured, was rather
+worse than better. The sufferer averred that
+she had slipped out an hour before, to go for
+a quiet walk in the meadows in the hope of obtaining
+relief; but the remedy had been of no
+avail, and all that remained was to go back to
+bed.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Won't you walk back with me?" Mrs.
+Talmage Eglinton added, devouring the
+young Scotsman's healthy, good-looking face
+with eyes of invitation. "I don't seem ever to
+get you alone nowadays."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am very sorry, but I have to go a little
+further," replied Forsyth, and, raising his hat,
+he passed on. But it was a very little way
+further that he had to go, for at the end of the
+first meadow he turned and followed in the
+lady's wake back to the mansion, catching, as
+he did so, a glimpse of Azimoolah moving
+stealthily in the bushes at the side of the path.</p>
+<p class="pnext">That night the post-bag which one of the
+Prior's Tarrant grooms conveyed to the office
+in the village contained a letter addressed to
+"Clinton Ziegler, Esqre.," at the Hotel Cecil,
+couched thus:</p>
+<blockquote><div>
+<p class="pfirst">"<em class="italics">The gentleman interviewed in the Bowery,
+New York, by Mr. Jevons on your behalf has
+reconsidered the matter, and is now prepared
+to carry out his commitment. He is so shaken
+by recent occurrences that he does not feel up
+to coming himself till he has received assurances,
+but his secretary will call at the hotel on
+Monday for instructions, which please hand to
+the secretary in writing and carefully sealed.</em>"</p>
+</div></blockquote>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xvia-delicate-mission">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id17">CHAPTER XVI—<em class="italics">A Delicate Mission</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">It was on Sunday evening that Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton, after a pious pilgrimage to
+the village church in company with her assiduous
+friend Sybil Hanbury, sought the
+Duke and asked if she might have a carriage
+to take her to the station for the up-train on
+the following morning. She would return in
+the evening, she said, but imperative business
+with her milliner and tailor demanded her
+presence in London for a few hours.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir, in courteously promising that
+her request should be attended to, regarded her
+with a wan smile. "You will have a companion—that
+is, if you do not mind Mr. Forsyth
+sharing the station brougham with you," he
+added. "Alec has to go to London to-morrow
+on my business—leases at the solicitors',
+isn't it?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">He turned for confirmation to Forsyth,
+who, with General Sadgrove, had been strolling
+with him on the terrace.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, leases at the solicitors'," replied the
+private secretary, flushing slightly. The
+General looked indifferent.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Really?" said the lady. "There must be a
+lot of that sort of thing to see to just now, I
+suppose. Of course, I shall be delighted to
+have Mr. Forsyth's escort, provided he drops
+me at Bond Street. I cannot have a critical
+male person following me across my tailor's
+sacred threshold."</p>
+<p class="pnext">She shook a gay finger at the party and disappeared
+into one of the French windows—a
+vision of dainty <em class="italics">chiffons</em> and rustling silks.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She's gone to put her prayer-book away,"
+laughed Forsyth, in the nervous manner of
+one wishing to cover an awkward situation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She needs one," muttered the General under
+his mustache, shooting a furtive glance at
+his nephew.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir said nothing, and the three
+paced on, hardly speaking, till it was time to
+dress for dinner. Since the General's return
+from town on the day of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's
+headache, not exactly a coolness, but a
+constraint, had sprung up between them. A
+suspicion of cross-purposes was in the air,
+which kept them silent when all together, but
+communicative enough when any two of them
+were alone in solitary places.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was so now, for the General waited till
+the Duke had left them to go up to his dressing-room
+before he remarked in a tone of grim
+humor:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I told you that you would have her for a
+traveling companion."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't anticipate much pleasure from the
+journey," Forsyth replied, gloomily, and reddening
+under the searching gaze with which
+his uncle raked him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But with the exception of the short drive to
+the station, during which Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+was unusually preoccupied, he was spared
+the uncongenial <em class="italics">tête-à-tête</em> he had expected.
+When the train came in the fair American said
+chaffingly that she knew he was dying to
+smoke—that, anyhow, she was in a mood for
+meditation herself, and intended to indulge it
+in the seclusion of a "ladies' compartment."
+Forsyth responded with the barest protest demanded
+by courtesy, and went away to a
+smoking-carriage, much relieved.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He saw her again at St. Pancras; indeed,
+he contrived to be near enough to overhear
+the direction to an address in Bond Street
+which she gave to her cabman, but he noticed
+the not unexpected fact that here in London
+she had no desire for his society. She had
+hurried into the vehicle without looking round
+for him, and was driven away at a pace that
+betokened special instructions to the driver.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth took another cab and bade his man
+keep the first cab in sight. Before long he
+perceived that the lady was in truth going to
+Bond Street, and presently he had the satisfaction
+of seeing her discharge her cab and
+skip lightly into the shop of a fashionable
+<em class="italics">modiste</em> in that thoroughfare. His complacence
+was a little marred by uncertainty
+whether she had observed him or not, but from
+the quick turn of her head as she crossed the
+pavement he was rather inclined to think that
+she had.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It doesn't matter, really," he reflected.
+"She knows that we suspect her complicity, or
+she wouldn't have tried to blind her trail to the
+hotel by driving here first. Strange, though,
+that, suspecting that, she should have taken so
+much trouble."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He ordered his driver to take him to the
+Hotel Cecil, and at the same time to keep a
+lookout to see whether they in turn were being
+followed by the lady whom they had just run
+to ground. But when he was set down at the
+main entrance of the great twelve-storied palace
+he received the assurance that nothing of
+the sort had occurred.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Not so keen after you, sir, as you was after
+her," ejaculated the smart cabman as he
+whipped up and wheeled round, dissatisfied,
+after the manner of his kind, with the extra
+half-crown he had received for his "shadowing
+job."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth shuddered. "<em class="italics">Keen</em>, by George!"
+he murmured ruefully. "If only my devotion
+to poor old Charley could have led me into
+paths untrodden by Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+my task would have been a lighter one."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He went into the bureau and inquired if
+Mr. Clinton Ziegler was in, receiving the
+stereotyped reply that Mr. Ziegler was <em class="italics">always</em>
+in, being an invalid. Whereupon he sent up
+his card, first penciling thereon the words,
+"Private Secretary to the Duke of Beaumanoir."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The bell-boy who took up the card reappeared
+almost immediately, flying down the
+grand staircase three steps at a time.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Please to come up at <em class="italics">once</em>, sir, the gentleman
+said," was the boy's urgent appeal.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth, with a feeling of having "burned
+his ships," obeyed with equal alacrity, and was
+shown into the suite made memorable by the
+raid of his Highness the Thakore of Bhurtnagur,
+otherwise General Sadgrove's faithful
+orderly, Azimoolah Khan. He noticed in
+passing in that the door of the next suite—that
+of Mrs. Talmage Eglinton—was slightly
+ajar, but his attention was immediately
+claimed by the welcome he received in Mr.
+Ziegler's apartments. Just inside the door
+he was met by a tall, bold-eyed man whom,
+from Beaumanoir's description, he had no difficulty
+in recognizing as the sham "Colonel
+Anstruther Walcot," but who introduced himself
+as Leopold Benzon, Mr. Ziegler's private
+secretary.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The idea of a professional criminal being
+served with such specious pomp tickled Forsyth's
+sense of humor; but, restraining an impulse
+to laugh in the fellow's face, he responded
+gravely to the salutation and stated
+his business. He had come, he said, after
+mentioning his name, on behalf of the Duke
+of Beaumanoir, to see Mr. Ziegler by appointment
+on a matter of private business.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Mr. Ziegler is expecting you," Benzon replied,
+scrutinizing the visitor's face narrowly.
+"Unfortunately he is not so well as usual this
+morning, and is not yet dressed. I must ask
+you to wait a little till he is ready to receive
+you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth bowed and took the chair offered
+him, not without an inward chuckle at the discrepancy
+between the haste of the bell-boy's
+summons to the suite and the delay in receiving
+him. To his mind the position was clear.
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton desired to keep up the
+polite fiction of her innocence to the end, yet
+Ziegler was apparently not prepared to go
+forward with the business without an opportunity
+of consulting her. She had come up to
+town for the express purpose of advising,
+perhaps supervising, her colleagues at an important
+crisis, and was doubtless on her way
+to the hotel after the diversion he had created,
+so that it was necessary to get him out of the
+entrance-hall before she passed up to her suite.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shouldn't wonder if she isn't the boss of
+the show, with Ziegler, who is probably her
+husband, as figure-head," Forsyth told himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Benzon, with a polite excuse, had retired
+into an inner room; but his place had immediately
+been taken by a well-dressed but
+cadaverous individual whom Forsyth recognized
+as the man in clerical attire whom he had
+seen descending the stairs in John Street after
+the forcible entry into his chambers, the miscreant
+who later on the same eventful night
+had called at Beaumanoir House in the character
+of a disguised police-officer.</p>
+<p class="pnext">There was evidently no disposition to leave
+him alone in the ante-room, and so give him a
+chance to open the outer door and witness
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's arrival in the next
+suite. So twenty minutes passed, and Forsyth
+was speculating as to how communication
+would be carried on with the female partner
+during the forthcoming interview, when Benzon
+returned and announced that Mr. Ziegler
+was awaiting him. He could not help observing
+how much better suited was this bowing
+and smirking American swindler to the <em class="italics">rôle</em> of
+a superior flunkey than to that of a British
+cavalry officer.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The next moment he found himself in the
+principal reception-room of the suite, face to
+face with a frail old man of unpleasant appearance,
+who, Forsyth noticed with quick intuition,
+was reclining on a couch that had been
+drawn across a closed door. There was another—open—door
+leading into the bedroom,
+but the closed one must be the same which
+from the other side of it had confirmed the
+General's suspicions of the occupant of the adjoining
+suite. Forsyth could picture to himself
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's shell-like ear
+glued to that door, its fair owner prepared to
+tap gentle signals by the Morse code on the
+panels if things did not go to her liking in the
+audience-chamber.</p>
+<p class="pnext">His conjectures were brought down to the
+bed-rock of fact by the croaking voice of the
+invalid on the couch. Mr. Ziegler's repulsive
+aspect, his purple cheeks, and green-shaded
+eyes suggested some horrible cutaneous affection,
+though Forsyth was not so ingenuous as
+to accept the disfigurements as genuine.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am sorry to have detained you, sir,"
+Ziegler began, and then paused abruptly.
+Forsyth wondered if he had been brought up
+with a round turn by a tap on the door close to
+his ear. There seemed something tentative, as
+though the speaker were trying his ground, in
+that first disjointed utterance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It does not matter," Forsyth replied, and
+then in his turn came to a sudden stop. His
+diplomatic training at the Foreign Office had
+taught him the advantage of allowing the
+other side to open the proceedings. He who
+has the first word is seldom the one to have the
+last.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But it appeared that Mr. Ziegler was also
+alive to the value of reserving his fire. "I presume
+that the Duke of Beaumanoir instructed
+you on the nature of the business you were to
+transact with me?" he said, and there was a
+firmer ring in the curious metallic voice than
+when he made his first brief apology.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"On the contrary, he left me quite in the
+dark about it," Forsyth made answer. "All
+I understood was that I was to fetch something
+which you would hand me in person."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Ziegler took a leisurely survey of the young
+Scotsman through his green glasses. "Then
+you did not come here expecting to have to use
+your own discretion in any way—to traffic
+with me, in fact?" he presently asked.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Certainly not," Forsyth replied. "I gathered
+that the part I was to play was solely that
+of a trusted messenger who could be relied on
+to say nothing about his errand afterwards."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Not even to General Sadgrove?" flashed
+back the answering question so swiftly that
+for an instant Forsyth was taken aback.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am not one to betray my employer's secrets—even
+to my uncle, General Sadgrove,"
+he said, recovering himself quickly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very good!" was the croaking comment.
+"I deemed it necessary to sound you because
+we are aware of the foolish meddling—I might
+also say muddling—of that mischievous old
+man. We know also that you have aided and
+abetted him in an attempt to swim against a
+tide that is far too strong for both of you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I quite admit that," responded Forsyth,
+boldly. "My uncle has been doing his best to
+protect the Duke's life, and as in duty bound I
+have used my efforts to assist him—up to a
+certain point."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What do you mean—up to a certain
+point?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I mean that as the Duke seems now to
+have taken matters actively into his own hands
+by opening up communication with you, I am
+naturally rather at the disposition of my employer
+than of anyone else."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Truly a faithful servant," said Ziegler,
+with a strong suspicion of a sneer. "And
+now, Mr. Forsyth, I have a question to ask
+which you are at liberty to answer or not as
+you please, but on which the future security of
+his Grace will probably depend. I shall draw
+my own deductions from a refusal to answer,
+and take it as an affirmative. Has the Duke
+disclosed to either you or General Sadgrove,
+or, as far as you are aware, to anyone else, the
+reason of his recent differences with us?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth rejoiced that he was able to reply
+in the negative. "No," he said promptly and
+with evident truth; "he has always steadily refused
+to enlighten my uncle and myself as to
+the cause of his being so persecuted. We have
+been kept absolutely in the dark."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He did not feel called upon to add, as he
+might have done, that a good deal of that darkness
+had been penetrated by General Sadgrove's
+acumen, and that the design on Senator
+Sherman's gold bonds was an open book
+to them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Ziegler, however, was satisfied with the reply.
+Signing to the pretentious Benzon, who
+throughout the interview had hovered close to
+his master's couch, he conferred with him in a
+whisper, and then addressed Forsyth again
+with a request that he would wait for a few
+minutes in the ante-room, when a letter for the
+Duke would be handed to him and he would
+be free to depart.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Good-day to you, sir," added the arch-plotter.
+"I regret that my infirmities preclude
+me from offering you hospitality.
+These little encounters become, I find, more
+fatiguing with advancing years."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Bidding him a curt good-morning, Forsyth
+returned to the ante-room, accompanied by the
+cadaverous individual, who had also been
+present at the interview. Benzon remained
+behind, softly shutting the door on them, and
+there was a distinct click of the key being
+turned in the lock. His companion making
+no overture for conversation, Forsyth sat
+down and affected to read a newspaper,
+though he was really straining his ears to
+catch what passed in the inner room. Already
+perplexed by having seen no signs of communication
+between Ziegler and the next suite,
+he was trying to ascertain if a conference was
+now proceeding with the fair tenant next door.
+No sound reached him, however, till after the
+lapse of some twenty minutes Benzon came
+swiftly out of the inner room with a heavily
+sealed letter in his hand.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"This," said Ziegler's aide-de-camp, "is the
+packet which my chief wishes you to deliver to
+the Duke of Beaumanoir. You are alive to
+the importance of seeing that it reaches its destination
+without being lost or tampered with?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My dear sir, I should not, I imagine, have
+been entrusted with this very uncongenial errand
+unless I had been thought capable of carrying
+it out," replied Forsyth, in a tone of
+annoyance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Take it, then," Benzon proceeded. "And
+you are, please, to inform his Grace that Mr.
+Ziegler, though he would have preferred to
+see him in person, is satisfied with the discretion
+of his emissary."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thanks, but I don't think I need a testimonial
+from Mr. Ziegler to recommend me to
+the Duke," replied Forsyth, coolly, as he buttoned
+the letter into the breast-pocket of his
+frock coat and with a bow took his departure.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Out in the corridor he breathed more freely.
+"I don't think that I overdid my exhibition of
+temper," he told himself. "A little touchiness
+was to be expected under the circumstances."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He had begun to descend the stairs into the
+entrance-hall, when he saw—with something
+of a shock—coming up, and therefore about
+to meet him, the lady whom he believed to be
+in the next suite to Ziegler's, advising her
+partners through the communicating door.
+He had got it firmly into his head that during
+the twenty minutes he had been kept waiting
+that door had been opened, and the terms of
+the letter settled between the two principals;
+and here was Mrs. Talmage Eglinton not in
+her rooms at all, but apparently only just arrived.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ah, Mr. Forsyth!" she cried, coquettishly.
+"You have been up to my suite to look for me,
+with a view to standing me a luncheon somewhere.
+Now don't deny that you were disappointed
+when you found that I had not
+reached the hotel and that the suite was locked
+up."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Could he have been mistaken? Forsyth
+asked himself. If so, the mistake was not
+really his, but General Sadgrove's, and the entire
+bottom was knocked out of the veteran's
+theory as to this woman's complicity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But I have not been up to your rooms,"
+was all he could reply on the spur of the moment. "I had business with the gentleman
+who occupies the adjoining suite."</p>
+<p class="pnext">If it was not genuine, the look of disappointment
+that stole into her face was a consummate
+piece of acting. "Oh, was that all,"
+she said, with a queer little laugh. "Well,
+that doesn't absolve you from asking me to
+lunch now that you have the chance."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I shall be delighted," was the only answer
+he could make without showing open hostility.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Wait in the hall, then," said Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton. "I am only going up to see if some
+jewelry I left locked up when I went down to
+Prior's Tarrant is safe."</p>
+<p class="pnext">She hurried up the remaining stairs, and
+Forsyth continued his way down to the hall, a
+prey to conflicting emotions. Disgust at having
+to lunch with a woman he abhorred was
+the least of them. What worried him most at
+that moment was the doubt, restored by this
+meeting, whether Mrs. Talmage Eglinton was
+not, after all, the victim of a chain of coincidences.</p>
+<p class="pnext">And then, suddenly, a flicker of light broke
+on the situation through—of all places in the
+world—a tiny flaw in the lady's defensive
+armor. She had spoken of her suite as locked
+up, but he remembered now that the outer door
+of it had been slightly ajar when he went in
+to his interview with Ziegler. He went up to
+the big uniformed porter on duty at the swing
+doors, and asked him if he knew Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton by sight.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh yes, sir," the man replied. "You'll
+catch her if you run up to her rooms sharp.
+She's just going out."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Going out?" exclaimed Forsyth, with well
+simulated surprise. "I thought I caught a
+glimpse of her going upstairs a moment ago.
+She seemed to have only just arrived."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oh no, sir; she came in an hour ago, and
+was on her way out just now when she found
+she'd forgotten something."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth left the proximity of the porter
+quickly, and went and waited at the foot of
+the staircase. The horizon had cleared again,
+and he smiled at the very thin trick which had
+so nearly deceived him—would have deceived
+him, in fact, if one of the gang, eagerly expecting
+her, had not chanced to be at her door
+when he went up. After concluding her business
+with her accomplices she had contrived
+the meeting on the stairs to throw dust in his
+eyes, going, in her desire for realism, to the
+length of explaining to the hall-porter why she
+had gone upstairs again after coming down
+into the hall. Well, he would hold her to the
+lunch invitation; let her think that she had
+hoodwinked him; and endeavor to ascertain
+whether she was courting his society as a mere
+bluff to lend color to her deception, or with
+some other object as yet undefined.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He had not long to wait for her. Tripping
+lightly down the stairs, she joined him with a
+charming assumption that he would be interested
+to hear that her jewels were "quite safe,"
+and she supplemented the information with the
+request that they should not lunch in the hotel.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am known here, and people stare so," she
+said. "Take me somewhere where we can be
+quiet. I have got something to say."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very well," he replied. "Come over to
+Kettner's. There won't be much of a crowd
+there at this time of day." And he strove hard
+to be polite as he steered her across the Strand,
+though he could have wished himself back at
+the Foreign Office, with no prospects and no
+Duke to serve, if Sybil's brave young face had
+not been in his mind's eye.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At the restaurant Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+chose a table in a remote corner of the dining-room and devoted herself to a careful study
+of the <em class="italics">menu</em>. It was not till she had selected
+her dishes and quizzed the appearance of the
+other customers that she developed her plan of
+attack.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You don't seem at all interested in the fact
+that I have something to say to you," she
+began, leaning back and scanning him critically.
+Her voluptuous style of beauty had
+never had any attraction for him; to-day it
+positively repelled.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My worst enemies have never accused me
+of being curious," he answered lightly. "Nay,
+I am not discourteous," he protested, seeing
+the angry gleam in the fine eyes. "I only
+mean that I cannot work myself into a fever
+about a communication the subject of which
+I am ignorant of."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Tell me," she said abruptly, "what reason
+you had for following me from St. Pancras
+to Bond Street this morning?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Whatever her motive she was pushing him
+hard, and Forsyth's presence of mind failed
+him. He flushed and began to stammer.</p>
+<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 27%; width: 45%" id="figure-10">
+<span id="i-am-very-far-from-being-indifferent-to-mrs-talmage-eglinton"/><img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="I am very far from being indifferent to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton." src="images/illus4.jpg" width="100%"/>
+<div class="caption italics">
+"I am very far from being indifferent to Mrs. Talmage Eglinton."</div>
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst">"It is useless to deny it," she cut him short.
+"I saw you in the cab quite plainly as I entered
+the shop, and my cabby had previously
+told me that I was being shadowed. Now,
+Mr. Forsyth, when a gentleman follows a lady
+about the streets he either does it because he
+means her some harm, or because—well, because
+he is not quite indifferent to her.
+Which was it in your case?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">This was a poser, and it had to be faced with
+instant decision. Rapidly reflecting that unless
+he was then and there prepared to accuse
+his fair <em class="italics">vis-à-vis</em> with complicity with Ziegler
+there was only one course open to him, he took
+it promptly. He little thought that within
+the next forty-eight hours his fate—to live or
+to die—would depend on the demeanor he then
+adopted.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I certainly did not follow you with a bad
+motive, and—there, a straight question deserves
+a straight answer—I am very far from
+being indifferent to you, Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton," he said.</p>
+<p class="pnext">After that the amenities flowed in the most
+friendly channel, though Forsyth suffered
+agonies, and it required all his skill as an amateur
+actor of repute to sustain the part of a
+diffident lover hovering on the brink of a
+declaration.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the afternoon they returned to Prior's
+Tarrant together, outwardly on the best of
+terms; but, needless to say, Forsyth was still
+"hovering."</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xviiwhere-is-the-duke">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id18">CHAPTER XVII—<em class="italics">Where is the Duke?</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The next day was that set for the arrival
+of Senator Sherman, though it would be quite
+late in the afternoon before he could reach
+Prior's Tarrant from Liverpool. Mrs. Sherman
+had addressed a letter to him on board the
+<em class="italics">Campania</em>, explaining matters and passing on
+a cordial invitation from Beaumanoir that he
+would join the party on landing.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Latterly there had been an entire absence
+of the excursions and alarums which had
+marked the earlier days of the house-party.
+General Sadgrove and Alec Forsyth had relaxed
+none of their vigilance, and Azimoolah
+still ranged the glades of the park, but no more
+unauthorized artists had put in an appearance,
+nor had any member of the party suffered
+from headache, entailing the strange cure of a
+midnight journey.</p>
+<p class="pnext">On this eventful morning it so happened
+that the ladies were all assembled in the
+breakfast-room before any of the gentlemen
+were down. Sybil, presiding at the tea and
+coffee equipage, was evincing deep interest in
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's narrative of her
+purchases in London the day before; Mrs.
+Sherman was wondering to Mrs. Sadgrove
+whether "Leonidas" would come straight to
+Prior's Tarrant, or insist on depositing the
+bonds in the Bank of England first; and
+Leonie was looking dreamily through the open
+windows across the park—she was often
+dreaming nowadays; so was the Duke.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Presently General Sadgrove strode in and
+took his seat, making no apology, because
+breakfast was a come-as-you-please meal, and
+no one was expected to be punctual. But
+when he had said good-morning all round he
+glanced uneasily at the vacant places of Beaumanoir
+and Forsyth. The two young men
+were usually up and about before anyone.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had broken off in
+the middle of describing a new and ravishing
+hat to Sybil in order to smile a welcome to the
+grim old warrior. She was now following the
+direction of his glance, and commented on it
+in sprightly fashion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The naughty Duke and the naughty Mr.
+Forsyth!" she purred. "I believe you men
+keep most frightfully late hours in this house,
+General. What is it that you do—play cards
+or gamble with dominoes?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"No, it's chess," jerked out the General, regarding
+her impassively. "Mate to the King
+and the Black Queen to move. All that sort
+of thing, don't you know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The American widow trilled out a silvery
+laugh, and the veteran attacked his breakfast.
+But, looking singularly old this morning, he
+seemed to have but little appetite, and ate
+slowly, frowning at the two empty places; and
+when Alec Forsyth came in alone, and white
+as a sheet, he was on his legs in a moment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Where is the Duke?" the General flung at
+his nephew.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't know; he's not in his room, and I
+can't find him anywhere in the nearer gardens,"
+was the reply. "I should like to speak
+to you for a moment," Forsyth added, with a
+significant glance at the ladies, who had so far
+failed to grasp that there was anything serious
+in a Duke being late for breakfast in his own
+house.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It needed no second request to bring the
+General out into the hall. "Now tell me
+shortly," said the old man as soon as they were
+alone together.</p>
+<p class="pnext">What Forsyth had to tell did not amount to
+much. As was his custom, he had gone to
+Beaumanoir's room as soon as he was dressed,
+and had found it vacant. As, however, the
+bed had been slept in, he apprehended nothing
+wrong, thinking merely that the Duke was
+smoking an early cigarette on the terrace.
+Seeing no sign of him there, he extended his
+search in the grounds, but again with no result.
+The next step was to question the servants,
+none of whom had seen their master
+since the previous day.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General stroked his chin thoughtfully.
+"I don't believe that woman knows anything,"
+he said at length. "I was watching her when
+you came in. She seemed to be surprised, and
+even disconcerted, by your news."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Perhaps one of her colleagues has acted independently,
+or there may be divided counsels
+in the camp," Forsyth suggested. "In that
+case——"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"In <em class="italics">any</em> case, what we have to do is to find
+Beaumanoir, dead or alive," the General interrupted.
+"See here, Alec, you must get a grip
+on yourself and go in and eat your breakfast
+calmly—just to prevent a premature panic
+among the women. I'll go and hunt up Azimoolah.
+If there has been any stir during the
+night he is sure to know of it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But as the General descended the terrace
+steps he was smitten with inward misgivings
+on that point. Had his faithful henchman
+detected anything unusual during the hours of
+darkness he would, long ere this, have been up
+to the house to report; besides which, if he had
+come across any lurking miscreants he would
+have seen to it that no harm befell the Duke.
+And here was the Duke missing. The hypothesis
+was that Azimoolah had either been
+eluded or had himself fallen a victim to foul
+play.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Influenced by this fear, the General quickened
+his pace, and as soon as he reached the
+wooded portion of the park uttered at frequent
+intervals his signal for the Pathan to appear.
+But glade after glade he traversed, scaring
+the rabbits with his cobra-like hiss, yet the lithe
+form of Azimoolah nowhere broke through the
+bushes. The General did not desist till he had
+thoroughly drawn the coverts, abandoning
+after a while his strange noises for a systematic
+scrutiny of the ground. He knew that
+had Azimoolah been in the park as a live man
+he would have answered the well-known call
+by now; whereas if he was lying cold and stark
+somewhere in the thicket, by patient search
+alone could he be found.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At the end of a fruitless hour the General
+went back to the house, realizing that not only
+the Duke, but the Duke's most capable protector,
+was missing. The blow was a severe
+one, for, apart from the ominous mystery of
+this dual disappearance, a certain scheme that
+had come to very near maturity was rendered
+null and void—a scheme that before another
+day dawned was to have cut the claws of Ziegler
+and Co. for ever.</p>
+<p class="pnext">There was the bare chance that Beaumanoir
+might have turned up during his absence, and
+General Sadgrove covered the ground at his
+best pace; but he was destined to find no such
+pleasant surprise in store for him. Forsyth
+met him, as he mounted the terrace steps, with
+the significant inquiry whether he had discovered
+anything.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nothing, and Azimoolah has gone too,"
+was the reply. "Where are the women?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"In the morning-room; they are not alarmed
+as yet, only a little uneasy—especially Leonie."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She would be, but we needn't mind her,"
+the General rejoined, brusquely. "What do
+you make of Ziegler's understudy?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I cannot make much of her," replied Forsyth.
+"I am inclined to agree with you that
+she is as much in a fog as the rest of us."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General grunted, and proposed that
+they should at once go up and rummage Beaumanoir's
+room for clues, a course which they
+instantly adopted. Since the charcoal episode
+their host had resolutely refused to occupy
+"the Duke's room," preferring to that grim
+state apartment a smaller chamber in the corridor
+where most of the guests were accommodated.
+Access was gained to it by two
+different doors, one leading to it through a
+dressing-room, the other directly opening into
+it. They chose the latter as being the nearest,
+and as they entered distinctly heard the swish
+of a silk skirt in the dressing-room, followed
+by the soft closing of the dressing-room door.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Alert and bristling like an angry terrier, the
+General stepped quickly back into the corridor—just
+in time to see another door gently shut
+a little farther on.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You were right, laddie," he said, rejoining
+Forsyth. "She has been here before us on the
+same errand. Mrs. Talmage Eglinton is as
+much bewildered as we are by the turn of
+events, and she has been trying to arrive at
+conclusions from an inspection of the Duke's
+room."</p>
+<p class="pnext">They began their "rummage," which was
+made easier for them by the fact that the
+housemaids had not yet paid their morning
+visit to the room. The bed had certainly been
+slept in, and there were also indications that
+the occupant had made a perfunctory sort of
+toilet afterwards. There was fresh lather on
+a shaving-paper, and soapy water in the wash-basin,
+to show that Beaumanoir had been able
+to attend to his person.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Whatever has happened to him didn't happen
+here," said the General with decision. "He
+left this room a free agent, at all events. The
+question then arises, When and why did he
+leave it, and has he left the confines of the
+park?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"He must have made a cold toilet," said
+Forsyth. "See, here is the hot water which
+was brought up for him at eight o'clock this
+morning, and also the water for his tub."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He stepped outside into the corridor and
+pointed to a small and a large can that had
+been placed close outside the door of the dressing-room.
+By the General's advice the Duke
+had been in the habit of keeping both doors
+locked at night, and the cans were never
+brought in by the servant who called him. A
+valet had not yet been engaged.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And there by the wash-stand is the empty
+can he used overnight," said the General.
+"Yes, there is the dirty water, in which he
+washed his hands before going to bed, in the
+waste-pail. We fix him, then, to having slept
+for some hours, and to having got up early and
+left the house in the small hours before anyone
+was about."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It looks as if he were playing a lone hand
+at some game of his own," said Forsyth,
+doubtfully.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the General would have no vague conjectures.
+Having settled within approximate
+limits the time when Beaumanoir quitted his
+room, he desired to learn how he had left the
+house. He himself had been sitting up from
+two, at which hour he relieved Forsyth, till five
+o'clock, and he would stake his reputation that
+no one had been moving during the period of
+his vigilance. The Duke must have left the
+house between five and six, at which latter hour
+the servants began to be moving.</p>
+<p class="pnext">This view was strengthened by inquiry from
+the butler, who reported that on going his
+rounds to open up the house he had discovered
+one of the windows of the smoking-room unbolted,
+though he had himself seen to the
+fastenings the night before. He had not
+thought anything of it, supposing that one of
+the gentlemen had gone out for an early stroll.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General led Forsyth aside. "Whatever
+has happened to Beaumanoir, he has courted
+his own fate by going outside unattended," he
+said. "It almost looks as if he had been lured
+out by some trick of his enemies, in which case
+Azimoolah has probably been done to death
+while endeavoring to protect him. Come and
+help me search the park once more, and then
+if we find nothing we must call in the police."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Making a detour by the stable-yard, so as
+to avoid meeting and being questioned by the
+ladies, they struck out for the leafy recesses of
+the broad belt of woodland that fringed the
+park. Allotting one section to Forsyth and
+taking the other himself, the General repeated
+the process of the morning, peering into the
+bushes, turning over heaps of leaves and probing the bracken with his stick, but all to no
+purpose. No gruesome corpse, either of English
+nobleman or of dark-skinned Asiatic, met
+their straining eyes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"We must give it up," said the General at
+last. "Now that we are down here we had
+better go out through the wicket-gate into the
+village and tell the constable to send for his
+superiors. We have reached the limit, and
+poor Beaumanoir's secrets can belong to him
+no longer, I fear."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth assented that it would be no longer
+advisable, even if it were possible, to keep the
+Duke's affairs out of the hands of the police,
+and the two made their way toward the private
+gate in the park wall through which Beaumanoir
+had gone to church on his first memorable
+Sunday at Prior's Tarrant. They were approaching
+the gate, not by the path, but skirting
+the wall through the undergrowth, when
+a lissome body appeared suddenly at the top
+of the wall, poised there for a moment, and
+then dropped almost at their feet. It was
+Azimoolah Khan, dusty and out of breath, but
+very far from being a dead man.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How is this, thou son of Sheitan?" exclaimed
+the General, affecting sternness to
+hide his pleasure. "It was not your wont in
+the jungle days to desert your post in times
+of danger. In your absence some evil thing
+has befallen him whom we are pledged to
+guard."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nay, Sahib, but hear me. It is not thy
+servant who has deserted his post, but his post
+which has deserted him," protested the Pathan,
+with dignified reproof. "The great Lord
+Duke ran away—oh so far and so fast—and
+thy servant ran after in his tracks to see that
+no harm befell him."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, where is the Duke now, man?" the
+General blurted out in great excitement.
+"Surely you haven't come back to tell me that
+you have lost him?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The Duke is in the fire-carriage, Sahib;
+and thy servant having no sufficient money or
+orders from the Sahib, was not able to follow
+further than the station," Azimoolah replied.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Pressed to be more explicit, this was the
+story he had to impart. He had been patrolling
+the park, ever with a watchful eye for the
+house, when between five and six he had seen
+the Duke come from one of the ground-floor
+windows and make at great speed for the coppices.
+Keeping himself concealed, Azimoolah
+had quickly perceived that it was the Duke's
+intention to leave the park by the wicket gate,
+and, considering it his duty not to lose sight of
+him, he had climbed the wall and followed.
+Avoiding the village street, Beaumanoir had
+struck into a series of lanes which presently
+brought him back into the main road beyond
+the farthest habitation. Thenceforward, with
+Azimoolah shadowing him, he had commenced
+a tramp which lasted between two and three
+hours, and finally ended at a railway station
+in a fair-sized country town.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You ascertained the name of the town?"
+asked the General.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Yes, after the train had steamed away Azimoolah
+had not omitted to inquire the name
+of the town. It was Tring. He had also inquired
+at the booking-office where the Duke
+had taken a ticket for, but the clerk had refused
+the information with a rude remark
+about the color of his skin—a remark which,
+east of Suez, might have brought him a taste
+of cold steel.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And then, Sahib," concluded the narrator,
+"without bite or sup I started to run back
+again, being sore afraid lest thy heart should
+be troubled by these things."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General patted his orderly's lean shoulder.
+"You have done right, old sheep-dog,"
+he said. "And as the lamb has broken loose
+from the fold you can go and get food and
+take a few hours' rest. Come, Alec! Let us
+get back and see what Bradshaw has to tell
+us."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Azimoolah having vanished over the boundary
+wall for his lodging in the village, they
+returned to the house and repaired to the library.
+Forsyth found a Northwestern time-table
+and turned up Tring.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Beaumanoir must have caught the 7.30
+down," he said, running his finger down the
+page. "It's a slow train, stopping at every
+station, and doesn't go beyond Bletchley."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General was growing querulous.
+"Bletchley!" he snorted. "What the deuce
+does he want at Bletchley? It's a little one-horse
+town in North Bucks, isn't it?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Hold on, it's more than that," said Forsyth,
+still with his finger on the column. "It's
+a junction where fast trains stop, and—yes!—he
+could change there into the North of England
+express, which calls there at 8.10."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The two men looked at each other in silence
+and with something of consternation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Liverpool is in the north of England," said
+the General after a pause, "and Sherman is
+due to arrive there to-day."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I cannot and will not believe that Beaumanoir
+has gone wrong after all," Forsyth angrily
+replied to his uncle's significant remark.
+He spoke with such heat that neither of them
+noticed that the library door had been opened
+and that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton stood there,
+smiling at them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Who has gone wrong?" she purred sweetly.
+"For goodness' sake, don't tell me that the
+Duke has run away with a housemaid!"</p>
+<p class="pnext">She was looking at Forsyth with eyes that
+bored like gimlets, and he thought of the letter
+from Ziegler, addressed to the Duke, entrusted
+to him the day before. Was it something
+in that letter that made her stare so
+steadfastly and yet with something of mockery
+in her gaze? Having good reason to be aware
+of the contents of that letter, he thought it
+likely. Only in that case calculations had been
+all at sea, and Beaumanoir—alas, poor Beaumanoir!</p>
+<p class="pnext">It was the General who answered the lady's
+banter, and that without any visible discomfiture.
+"No, it isn't the Duke who has gone
+wrong," he said calmly. "We were talking of
+someone not nearly so exalted. Our host is all
+right—gone away for a few hours by an early
+train on business. We have found out all
+about his movements, and I shall be obliged,
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, if you will kindly
+reassure the other ladies that Beaumanoir's
+absence is satisfactorily accounted for."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"How delighted Miss Sherman will be. I
+will go and tell them all, at once," cried the
+American gaily. And she swept out of the
+room with an exuberant triumph not lost on
+those who remained behind.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Wherever the Duke has gone, and with
+whatever motive, Mrs. Talmage Eglinton is
+pleased," the General mused aloud.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She will find herself mistaken if she thinks
+he has gone to play her game," said Alec Forsyth,
+staunch as ever to his friend.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xviiithe-senator-and-the-securities">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id19">CHAPTER XVIII—<em class="italics">The Senator and the Securities</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">On the hurricane-deck of the <em class="italics">Campania</em>, as
+the leviathan liner thrust her huge bulk towards
+the landing-stage through the lesser fry of the
+teeming Mersey traffic, a big man, wearing a
+light-gray frock-coat and a broad-brimmed
+soft white hat, stood talking to the purser.
+Senator Leonidas Sherman was accounted the
+handsomest man at Washington, and in his
+broad, well-chiseled, clean-shaven face was reflected
+that honesty and shrewd alertness which
+had caused his selection for his present trust.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't want the box out before the last
+moment, Mr. Seaton, and if you can conveniently
+keep the bullion-room locked till you
+hand it over I should be obliged," the Senator
+was saying.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The brass-buttoned official gave a ready assent
+to the distinguished passenger's request.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I'd rather you had your job than me, sir,"
+he added, seriously. "The equivalent of three
+million sterling in a little leather thing like
+that, and to have to cart it up to London all
+by your lone self—why, it's enough to make
+one shudder."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It doesn't me," the Senator replied simply,
+with an unconscious gesture to his hip-pocket.
+"I have a bit of a reputation to live up to, you
+know. If it's to be shooting, my early training
+has taught me to draw first; and if it's to be
+confidence-men—well, it's some years since I
+was born."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The purser nodded and went about his duties
+while Sherman leaned over the forward
+rail and watched the shore, looming larger now
+every moment. The Senator was no back-woods
+"hayseed." A man of culture and much
+travel, he possessed far more than a guide-book
+knowledge of every European capital,
+and did not make the mistake of under-estimating
+London as a hatching-ground for
+crime. Till his precious charge was deposited
+in the Bank of England and he had fingered
+the receipt he was prepared for emergencies.
+The gold shipment which his Government had
+negotiated against the bonds he was bringing
+had been buzzed about in Wall Street for two
+months and more—ample time for the maturing
+of predatory schemes.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Aided by the company's tug, the great
+steamer sidled up to the landing-stage, and as
+soon as the gangways were opened the usual
+stream of passengers' friends began to push
+their way on board. The hurricane-deck
+towered high above the level of the quay, and
+Senator Sherman, not expecting anyone to
+meet him, retained his post of vantage at the
+rail, looking down with amused interest at the
+embracings and hand-shakings. He had no
+need to hurry, for it was too late to catch a
+train to London in time to reach the Bank before
+it closed for the day, and he preferred to
+let the ship clear before he claimed the box of
+bonds from the purser.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Suddenly he heard his name spoken inquiringly
+at his elbow, and wheeling smartly round
+he found himself looking into the harassed eyes
+of a well-dressed man whom he had seen, a few
+minutes before, pass on board from the
+landing-stage. He had specially noticed him
+from a limp which impeded his progress across
+the crowded gangway.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, my name is Sherman, but I haven't
+the pleasure of knowing yours," said the Senator
+shortly. There was a diffident air about
+this tired-looking individual—a something
+that might be shyness or might be guile—that
+put him on his guard. Could it be that one
+of the "confidence-men," about whom he had
+just spoken so lightly, was going to practise
+on him ere even the securities were out of the
+purser's custody? He wondered what tale
+would be unfolded for his entrapment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I am the Duke of Beaumanoir," the
+stranger replied, after a nervous glance round.
+"I don't suppose you ever heard of me. There
+wouldn't have been time for a letter from your
+people to reach you from this side before you
+sailed."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You know my wife and daughter?" the
+Senator asked, sharply. The "tale" was developing
+on the grand scale, he told himself.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I have the privilege of knowing Mrs. and
+Miss Sherman," replied the Duke, flushing
+under the keen scrutiny to which he was being
+subjected. "I have also the honor of being
+their host. They are staying, together with
+their friends the Sadgroves, at my place in
+Hertfordshire. I—I came down to meet you
+in the hope of inducing you to join them
+there."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very good of you. May I ask how you
+came to make their acquaintance?" asked the
+Senator, in an arid tone.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I traveled in the same ship with them from
+New York, and General Sadgrove, with whom
+they stayed on arrival, happened to be the uncle
+of my friend and secretary, Alec Forsyth,"
+Beaumanoir made answer.</p>
+<p class="pnext">An amused twinkle flashed into the Senator's
+clear eyes. He was quite certain now that
+the man was an impostor with designs on the
+three millions. The only spice of truth in the
+fellow's story, he told himself, probably was
+that he had sailed in the <em class="italics">St. Paul</em>, which would
+have given him the opportunity of gathering
+from his wife or Leonie the particulars he was
+now working on. The Senator had no doubt
+that if he accompanied this rather poor specimen
+of a criminal decoy an attempt would be
+made to relieve him of the bonds—possibly
+to murder him. It was all a little too thin—especially
+the dangling of an exalted title as a
+bait to catch an American. This part of the
+scheme really annoyed him, as casting on a
+foible of his fellow-countrymen a reflection
+which he felt to be not wholly undeserved. The
+Senator became dangerous.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very well, your Grace; if my family is
+under your roof, it is the right place for me,"
+he said more affably. "I accept your invitation
+in the spirit in which it is given. I have
+a matter of three million sterling in securities
+to get from the bullion-room, and then I'm
+your man. Kindly wait here."</p>
+<p class="pnext">A grim smile played round the Senator's
+firm lips when, after going through the needful
+formalities with the purser, he quitted the
+steamer's stronghold, carrying the leather
+despatch-box. He would lead the rascal on,
+making his mouth water, gently titillate his
+expectations, and then, having got him fairly
+on the hooks, hand him over to the police. Delighted
+with the prospect of thwarting a rogue,
+he sought his state-room to collect his personal
+baggage and have it conveyed ashore. The
+first thing that met his eye on entering the
+state-room was a letter in his wife's handwriting
+that had just been delivered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It bore date of the previous day, and informed
+him that the writer and Leonie were
+staying as the guests of the Duke of Beaumanoir
+at his country seat, Prior's Tarrant. Mrs.
+Sherman went on to explain the circumstances,
+so far as she was aware of them, of the invitation,
+and she wound up with the hope that the
+Senator would join them immediately on landing.
+The Duke, who was the embodiment of
+affability, had cordially expressed that wish,
+she wrote; without, however, mentioning the
+Duke's intention of going to Liverpool to meet
+the <em class="italics">Campania</em>.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Senator Sherman read the letter twice, assured
+himself of the authenticity of the handwriting,
+examined the postmark, and—made
+a wry face. It looked as if he had been too
+hasty in jumping to a conclusion about the
+young man waiting for him on the hurricane-deck,
+and he began to regret the curt demeanor
+he had assumed. He was not quite convinced,
+however, owing to the absence of any allusion
+to the Duke meeting him—in itself an extraordinary
+proceeding. Good republican as he
+was, the Senator fully appreciated the cleavage
+of English class distinctions, and he was aware
+that great nobles do not, as a rule, wait at seaport
+towns to welcome perfect strangers. It
+was possible that the depressed individual on
+deck might, after all, be a criminal who had
+discovered Mrs. Sherman's visit to the Duke
+of Beaumanoir and was turning his knowledge
+to evil account. Still, though caution was
+called for, his wife's letter invested the man's
+story with a credibility which it had wholly
+lacked, and when he rejoined him the Senator's
+manner was altered accordingly. The Duke
+having telegraphed for the carriage to meet
+them at Tarrant Road, they took a cab together
+to Lime Street station, and were fortunate
+enough to find a train on the point of starting.
+It was a corridor express, made up entirely of
+vestibule cars, and the fact caused the Duke
+an annoyance which partially revived the Senator's
+suspicions.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't like this," Beaumanoir said, glancing
+with what looked very like dismay up and
+down the well-filled car as they took their seats.
+"I should have preferred an ordinary first-class
+compartment that we could have had reserved."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ah! I suppose a duke is bound to be a bit
+exclusive," said the Senator, guardedly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir, who a month before had regarded
+a ride in a Bowery street-car as an unattainable
+luxury, was betrayed into disclaiming
+any such snobbery.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It isn't that——" he was beginning hotly,
+when he pulled up short and feebly subsided,
+without explaining why he should have desired
+a <em class="italics">tête-à-tête</em> journey.</p>
+<p class="pnext">With the starting of the train a sustained
+and confidential conversation became impracticable,
+nor did either of the fellow travelers
+seem inclined for one; but as they sped southward
+the Senator found plenty of food for reflection
+in his companion's behavior. To the
+experienced American eye the outline of a pistol
+was plainly apparent in the breast-pocket
+of the Duke, whose fingers never strayed far
+from that receptacle—an attitude which was
+always more distinctly marked during the infrequent
+stoppages. Except when it was distracted
+into a swift and nervous glance round
+by a movement of one of the other passengers,
+the Duke's gaze was always focused on the
+precious box which the Senator carried on his
+lap.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Either he means to rob me himself, or he
+is scared lest someone else will," was the Senator's
+conclusion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the journey came to an end without
+either of these consummations being arrived at
+or even attempted, and the sight of the coroneted
+carriage and the ducal liveries at Tarrant
+Road station removed the Senator's last lingering
+doubt as to the Duke's identity. And,
+twenty minutes later, when, still hugging his
+despatch-box, he found his wife and daughter
+waiting to welcome him under the portico at
+Prior's Tarrant, he was ready to laugh at himself;
+and what the Senator was ready to do
+he usually did promptly—as now.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ah, Jem!" he cried, as General Sadgrove
+came forward to greet him. "You'll never believe
+what an ass I've been making of myself.
+Something in the British soil, I guess. It's
+only this minute that I've been able to clear
+my silly brain of a lurking suspicion that his
+Grace's kindness in coming to meet me covered
+a design on this little box. Took him for a sort
+of bunco-steerer."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General passed over the remark as a
+careless jest without pursuing it, but shook
+hands with his old friend warmly. The veteran
+was looking careworn and aged, the Senator
+thought, and he wondered, too, at the
+queer searching glance which the General cast
+upon their mutual host as the latter limped
+from the brougham into the hall. The Duke
+was engaged in making light of the thanks and
+reproaches showered upon him for going to
+Liverpool, wherefrom the Senator guessed
+that that singular proceeding had been unknown
+beforehand to the house-party.</p>
+<p class="pnext">They all went into the tapestry-room, where
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, now happily recovered
+from her headache of three days ago,
+was chatting to Sybil Hanbury and Alec Forsyth.
+The necessary introductions were effected
+by Beaumanoir, whose spirits had wonderfully
+revived with his entry into the house—to
+such an extent, indeed, that Leonie put
+it down to a few hours in the company of her
+breezy father, little thinking that they had
+traveled two hundred miles together without
+exchanging half as many words. Yet if there
+was nothing forced about the Duke's sudden
+gaiety it certainly suggested unnatural excitement,
+and everyone present was impressed by
+his changed demeanor. Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+was so affected by it that in narrowly
+observing her host she failed to notice that for
+some minutes after the introduction she herself
+was the object of observation, not to say a
+pretty sharp scrutiny, on the part of Senator
+Sherman.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Say, your Grace," exclaimed the Senator,
+recovering from his abstraction and turning
+with some abruptness to the Duke, "I can't
+enjoy your hospitality with a whole heart till
+I've got this treasure under lock and key.
+Have you got any place where I can deposit
+the box with tolerable confidence of finding it
+when I want to take it to the Bank of England
+to-morrow? It's a just retribution, I
+guess, to have to make you its custodian after
+suspecting you of wanting to lift it."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir, it seemed, was quite equal to
+the occasion.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I can guarantee the impregnability of the
+fire-proof safe in my muniment room," he replied
+with alacrity. "If you will come with
+me, we will lock it up at once."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Sturdily disregarding the badinage of his
+wife and Leonie for thinking robbery possible
+at Prior's Tarrant, the Senator followed the
+Duke, and was conducted by him along many
+corridors to a stone-floored chamber lined with
+shelves full of dusty archives, and furnished
+only with a carved oak table and a few worm-eaten
+chairs. But, what was more to the purpose,
+a brand-new safe, resplendent in green
+and gold, the very latest patent of the most
+eminent manufacturers, occupied an imposing
+position at the far end. Producing a key, the
+Duke unlocked the safe, with no result till a
+touch on a hidden spring caused the heavy steel
+door to roll slowly outwards. The interior was
+nearly filled with parchment-bound volumes
+exactly like those on the shelves, but there was
+plenty of room for the box.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Senator promptly placed his precious
+charge in the vacant space, and heaved a sigh
+of relief.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It ought to be all right there," he said.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It ought to be," Beaumanoir echoed, as he
+set the mechanism in motion. And when the
+heavy door had slid noiselessly back into position,
+he turned the key and pocketed it with an
+air of achievement. "Come, Mr. Sherman," he
+said lightly, "let us go and rejoin the ladies.
+Now that we have got that safely housed we
+shall both feel much—er—more comfortable,
+shan't we?"</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xixin-the-crypt">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id20">CHAPTER XIX—<em class="italics">In the Crypt</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">Late on the evening of Senator Sherman's
+arrival at Prior's Tarrant he was alone with
+General Sadgrove in the smoking-room, the
+Duke of Beaumanoir and Forsyth having
+avowedly gone up to bed. Under the influence
+of the genial American, and with the Duke
+himself in a more expansive mood, dinner and
+the subsequent reunion in the tapestry-room
+had been prolonged later than recently, and
+the chiming clock on the mantelpiece tinkled
+out the hour of midnight as the Senator put
+the question:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Who the dickens is that Talmage Eglinton
+woman, Jem?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General started, but affected a carelessness
+which he was far from feeling in the trite
+reply that "Goodness only knew." He proceeded,
+however, to temper the crudity of the
+remark with the information that the lady in
+question was staying in London for the season,
+professed to hail from Chicago, and was reputed
+wealthy.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She is hardly the type of American one
+expects to meet in such a house as this—or
+wants to meet anywhere," said the Senator.
+"And," he added, poising the match with which
+he was about to light another of his own green
+Havanas, "she is the cause of prejudice in
+a usually unbiased mind. She has the misfortune
+to be fashioned in the likeness of one Cora
+Lestrade, a person of note in my country,
+whom I once saw in my capacity of Visiting
+Prison Commissioner. That was three years
+ago, but of course it can't be the same woman."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It would be a curious coincidence," was all
+the General would admit. "She was taken up
+by Lord and Lady Roseville, impecunious folk
+who would take up anyone for value received.
+What was this Cora Lestrade's particular line
+of business?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Senator reflected for a moment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I don't think she specialized herself," he
+said. "Her forte was organization, and I heard
+that at the time she was taken she bossed a
+complete outfit, comprising forgers, confidence-men,
+train-robbers, and high-grade
+criminals of all sorts, who operated over the
+entire universe. They used to regard her as a
+queen. It was hinted at her trial that they
+were all fascinated by the spell of her charms,
+though she would never favor any of the crew
+in that way. Probably that was the secret of
+her power over them."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You don't happen to know when her sentence
+expired?" the General asked, after a
+pause.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It didn't expire; she broke jail—an easy
+matter for one as well served as she was by a
+clever crowd with unlimited financial resources."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The two old cronies relapsed into a thoughtful
+silence, neither of them showing a disposition
+to retire for the night, though the intense
+stillness prevailing in the great house implied
+that everyone else was asleep. Yet it was not
+so, for Alec Forsyth was at that moment uncommonly
+busy before the looking-glass in his
+bedroom. On the toilet-table there lay open a
+theatrical "make-up" box, from which he was
+putting the finishing touches to a very creditable
+transformation of himself into a semblance
+of the Duke. His deft usage of the
+various pigments revealed him as no tyro at the
+task, for which, indeed, his proficiency as an
+amateur actor had inspired the idea.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That will do, I think," he said to himself
+after a final survey. "It is a good thing that
+the scene is to be played without limelight effects;
+but it is my voice that will give me away
+if anything does."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He rose and crossed the room once or twice,
+copying Beaumanoir's slight limp to the life.
+Then, having consulted his watch, he took
+from his pocket-book a letter, addressed to
+the man he was about to personate, and refreshed
+his memory.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I congratulate you on this return to your
+senses," the writer began. "My agents inform
+me that the gentleman in whom we are interested
+is expected to stay at Prior's Tarrant as
+your guest on arrival, being due on Tuesday.
+On Tuesday night you will leave unfastened
+the door leading into the crypt from the Dutch
+garden, so that I and my assistants may obtain
+access secretly. You will come down into the
+crypt an hour after midnight, when I will hand
+you the documents for substitution. Do not
+fail to make your arrangements so that the exchange
+may be effected without a hitch, and
+as rapidly as possible. As host you should
+have no difficulty in inspiring the necessary
+confidence to put the business through, and
+you will then be troubled no further by us.—C.
+Z."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Poor old Beau! He's played up as well as
+if we had told him all about our plan," Forsyth
+muttered as he replaced the letter and took another
+look at himself in the glass. "I trust
+they won't call me 'your Grace,' and make
+me laugh."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But it was in no laughing mood that he
+switched off the electric light, listened at the
+door for fully a minute, and then softly opened
+it. His room, as it had been in the London
+house, was next to that of the Duke, and, satisfied
+that there was no one in the corridor, he
+slid out softly and shut the door behind him.
+A few natural steps having brought him opposite
+the Duke's room, he fell at once into
+Beaumanoir's limp, and so continued his way
+to the head of a secondary staircase that led
+down to the service rooms on the ground floor.</p>
+<p class="pnext">At the foot of the stairs, never forgetting
+his limp, he traversed several passages in which
+at long intervals only had a light been left
+burning, and at length he came to a massive
+oak door. Opening this, he found himself at
+the top of a flight of straight stone steps, running
+down into the blackness of the great subterranean
+chamber, which had been used as a
+crypt in the old monastic days. The shutting
+of the door cut off the last ray of light, and
+there being no rails to the steps he struck a
+wax match in order to make the descent in
+safety. But the feeble flame had hardly flickered
+out when it was rendered useless by a
+dazzling beam of white effulgence that suddenly
+sprang into being and shone upon him
+from below.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Hang it all, I didn't allow for this!" he
+thought uneasily. "They have brought one of
+those wretched portable electric lamps, and I
+doubt if the disguise will stand. However,
+here goes."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Nerving himself for the ordeal, he went
+slowly down the steps, and so limped across the
+stone floor towards a spot in the very center of
+the crypt where five figures were grouped under
+the groined roof. He had only time to observe
+that one figure—that of an old man with snow-white
+beard and puffed, purple cheeks—stood
+slightly in advance of the rest, when on his
+near approach an order was given in a queer,
+parrot-like squeak to switch out the lamp. The
+crypt was windowless, but it was conceivable
+that a light in the interior might be seen from
+outside under the door leading into the gardens.
+Hence, doubtless, the precaution.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have made all preparations above,
+Duke?" was queried in the same piping voice.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The bonds are in my own safe, and I obtained
+the key of the Senator's despatch-box
+by a trick—picked his pocket, in fact—after
+dinner," Forsyth replied, in a perfect imitation
+of Beaumanoir's tone. He was beginning
+to feel more confident in being able to sustain
+his part; he would not, he thought, have lived
+to reach this parley if his disguise had been
+penetrated.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then," the unseen spokesman proceeded,
+"all you have to do is to take this bundle of
+papers and place them in the box, extracting
+the originals, and returning here at once with
+them. It will then give me pleasure to absolve
+you from further service."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth felt a large packet pressed into his
+grasp, and he instantly turned with it to go
+towards the steps, expecting that the lamp
+would be switched on to guide him. This
+proved to be the case, and he was glad that
+those five scoundrels only had a back view of
+him as he limped across the floor and laboriously
+climbed the steps. Nor when he had
+passed through the door out of their sight was
+there any quickening of his halting gait to
+show that he was exulting in that he had so far
+successfully risked his life for his friend. And
+it was well that he kept up his part, for as he
+crossed under the well of the staircase to the
+servants' bedrooms he caught a glimpse of
+Rosa, Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's French maid,
+watching him over the banisters.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Mounting to his own room he locked the
+bundle of papers he had received away in one
+of his trunks, from which he first took a packet
+of similar dimensions, formidably sealed.
+Without wasting a moment he placed this
+packet under his arm, and, falling once more
+into Beaumanoir's limp, retraced his steps to
+the crypt, where, as soon as he had passed
+through the door, a beam from the portable
+lamp shed a glare on his descent to the level of
+the floor. The five figures, with the white-bearded
+old man in advance, awaited him as
+before.</p>
+<p class="pnext">As Forsyth approached he hoped every moment
+to hear those parrot-like tones order the
+light to be cut off, but this time no such welcome sound fell upon his ears. He had to
+advance quite close with the full radiance of
+the lamp shining on him. The light, he soon
+perceived, had been retained for the purpose of
+examining the packet, which Ziegler snatched
+from him with impatient vehemence; and suddenly
+Forsyth was confronted with a situation
+not wholly unforeseen, but which he had hoped
+to avoid in the haste of the gang to make off
+with their plunder. Not content with a scrutiny
+of the carefully taped and sealed dummy
+package, Ziegler was about to undo the fastenings
+and look at the contents, which consisted
+of nothing more valuable than tissue paper.</p>
+<p class="pnext">It seemed an age while the lithe white fingers
+broke the seals and disarranged the tape, and
+Forsyth steadied himself for the inevitable discovery.
+He was not prepared to lose his life
+at the hands of this murderous crew without a
+fight for it, five to one though they were; and
+it occurred to him that at the first sign of
+violence his best plan would be to smash the
+electric lamp with a well-directed kick, and
+then try and elude them in the dark. Ziegler's
+face was in shadow, the miscreant holding the
+lamp being behind him; but Forsyth saw at
+last, by the swift upward jerk of the arch-robber's head, that the worthlessness of the bundle
+was known to him. It was probable, too, from
+the prolonged silent stare with which he gazed
+and gazed at the Duke's counterfeit, that the
+latter's identity was no longer a secret.</p>
+<p class="pnext">With quite a natural movement Forsyth
+edged a little nearer to the man with the lamp,
+and the movement seemed to break the spell
+which held Ziegler speechless. The chief
+turned abruptly to his followers.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I must have a word with this gentleman—with
+the Duke—alone," he squeaked. "Go out
+into the garden and await close outside—within
+call. Here, I will keep the lamp." Forsyth
+noticed that the well-shaped hand with which
+he grasped the contrivance was shaking violently—so
+violently, that the ray with which
+he guided his four subordinates through the
+groined arches to the door wavered like a will-o'-the-wisp.
+He waited till the last one had
+filed out before he turned again to the man
+who had baffled him.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, Mr. Forsyth?" he piped, and the
+high-pitched note quivered and trembled as the
+lamp-ray had done.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, sir?" Forsyth repeated, in blank
+amazement at the sparing of his life, for unless
+some hidden treachery beyond his fathoming
+was afoot, he could not doubt that it was
+spared. He was more than a physical match
+for the aged evil-doer in front of him, and before
+the others could be recalled he could make
+good his retreat into the house by the way he
+had come. The quiet acceptance of defeat by
+the bloodthirsty old schemer was a puzzle beyond
+solution, if it was not a veil for some
+further villainy.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"You have beaten me, Mr. Forsyth—you
+and General Sadgrove," Ziegler went on. "I
+don't suppose it's of any use my offering you
+a bribe to bring me back the package you have
+obtained so smartly? I would make it a very
+large one."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Not the slightest use," Forsyth answered,
+almost laughing, yet more than ever puzzled
+by the <em class="italics">naïveté</em> of the question. "I have been
+at considerable pains to deprive you of your
+bogus bonds, and it is hardly likely, Mr. Ziegler,
+that I am going to restore your power
+over the Duke of Beaumanoir. He is a brave
+man, and doesn't fear death. You can't hurt
+him that way; but with these forgeries in your
+possession you might make some sort of a story
+good against him. Without them, anything
+you could say would be an idle tale."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That is not the point, believe me, Mr. Forsyth,"
+the shrill voice quavered almost pleadingly.
+"The contents of that package took
+three of my most skilled colleagues months to
+prepare. They are proud of their work—love
+those forged bonds as if they were their children.
+To their pride in their work I should
+owe my life, if you would give them back to
+me."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth could hardly believe his ears. Could
+this tremulous dotard be the redoubtable master
+of crime whom he and his uncle had been
+fighting throughout the last crowded week?
+"I really don't see how your not particularly
+valuable life can depend on your possession of
+a lot of bogus bonds," he said, with genuine
+curiosity. The appeal to his pity filled him
+with vague uneasiness, the alleged reason for
+it being so utterly absurd. Yet Ziegler was
+ready with an explanation, more or less plausible.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"My associates will kill me for being duped
+out of their handiwork," he answered, glancing
+fearfully to the garden entrance. "They would
+perhaps pardon the miscarriage of the main
+scheme, but to have parted with material which
+might yet have been turned to account will seal
+my doom—that, and having allowed you to
+survive your triumph over us."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth saw now—or thought he saw—why
+the murderous crew had been ordered off in
+ignorance of the miscarriage. It was to enable
+Ziegler to make this desperate appeal for the
+restitution of the bogus bonds, so that he might
+"save his face" with his comrades. It would
+be ample excuse in their eyes—flatter their
+vanity, as their tottering chief had hinted—if
+he had himself been deceived by the fabricated
+securities. But they had seen him examine the
+parcel; they would know that he had made the
+discovery on the spot, and yet had not decreed
+instant death to their successful opponent. One
+flaw in this chain of reasoning Forsyth, himself
+no casuist, overlooked. It did not occur to him
+that the old practitioner with the white beard
+and the squeaky voice could have put himself
+right with his companions if he had hounded
+them on to him the moment he knew he was
+fingering tissue-paper and not United States
+Treasury bonds, good, bad, or indifferent.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, Mr. Clinton Ziegler," said Forsyth,
+eager now to have done with the matter in the
+only possible way, "your appeal is dismissed
+with costs—on the higher scale. What does it
+matter to me what happens to you? If you
+had had your way you would have earned a
+legal hanging four times in the last week. If
+your friends save the common hangman the
+trouble, so much the better for all concerned,
+especially as they would thereby get themselves
+hanged also."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Nothing will move you?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Absolutely nothing; and now I'll trouble
+you to clear off the premises if you and your
+gentlemen outside don't want to be treated as
+ordinary burglars."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What if I call them back and have you
+strangled?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">With the way of escape open behind him
+Forsyth laughed at the futile threat, and to
+the group outside in the Dutch garden it must
+have sounded like a friendly laugh of mutual
+satisfaction and farewell, for he gently pushed
+the old man before him to the garden door and
+shut it on him. Then, having carefully shot
+the heavy bolts, he groped his way back to the
+stone steps leading up into the house, triumphant,
+yet not wholly convinced. The ignominious
+collapse of Mr. Clinton Ziegler was
+almost too good to be true, and he was painfully
+conscious that such an astute antagonist
+was not likely to have thrown all his cards on
+to the table.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The fact, however, remained that the
+schemers had been deprived of their spurious
+bonds, without which their carefully planned
+design to obtain possession of the genuine ones
+fell to the ground.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And their blood-feud against the poor chap
+will surely cease, now that there is no crime,
+past or contemplated, for which he can denounce
+them," Forsyth comforted himself as
+he stepped from the door at the head of the
+stone stairs and hastened along the dimly lit
+corridor, limping no longer. His destination
+was the smoking-room, where he guessed that
+the General would be eagerly awaiting news.</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxin-the-muniment-room">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id21">CHAPTER XX—<em class="italics">In the Muniment Room</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">While Alec Forsyth was engaged in showing
+Ziegler out of the crypt, the Duke of
+Beaumanoir, in happy ignorance of the perilous
+effort his friend was making for him, sat
+in the dark muniment room, still as a cat, with
+his eyes on the door. He had drawn one of
+the oak chairs close to the safe in which Senator
+Sherman's genuine bonds reposed. He
+had established himself on guard, in case,
+trickery having failed, violent methods should
+be adopted at the last moment to obtain the
+huge plunder.</p>
+<p class="pnext">He thought it improbable that, with General
+Sadgrove in the house and Azimoolah
+somewhere loose around it, any of the gang
+would break in unseen, still less that they
+would reach the muniment room. He sincerely
+hoped that the vigilance of those trained watch-dogs
+would prevail, for, though he was prepared
+to atone for his folly by defending the
+safe at the cost of his life, if need be, he did
+not see how that could be done without opening
+up the scandal he had gone through so
+much to avoid. He had bought the safe, had
+met the Senator at Liverpool, and now, unknown
+to anyone, was keeping his lonely vigil
+in the firm determination that, at all hazards,
+the bonds should reach the Bank of England
+in safety; but there was a dread in his heart
+lest the tell-tale emergency he was providing
+against should arise.</p>
+<p class="pnext">For here it becomes necessary to say that the
+letter sent to Ziegler in London five days before,
+and purporting to convey the Duke's submission
+and request for instructions, which
+were called for by Alec Forsyth, was not written
+by the Duke at all, or even with his cognizance.
+It had been the joint production of
+General Sadgrove and Forsyth, with an eye
+to immediate immunity for the Duke from
+further murderous attacks, and to the enactment
+of some such dangerous comedy as had
+just been played in the crypt. Though when
+that deceptive missive was penned, its authors
+expected, in varying degrees, as will presently
+be seen, tragedy rather than comedy. And he
+who by right of youth and friendship necessarily
+took the greater risk was the one who,
+not being fully informed by his uncle, had
+most cause for apprehension from the masquerade.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But Beaumanoir, sitting in the dark with
+his Smith and Wesson at full cock amid the
+archives of the house he was concerned to preserve
+stainless, was aware of none of these tortuous
+dealings. Had his zeal allowed him to
+indulge in the luxury of a light, he might have
+whiled away the time by perusing some of the
+musty chronicles around him, and have so
+drawn comfort from the knowledge that if his
+misdeed was published with the usual trimmings
+in every paper in the kingdom, he would
+still compare favorably with some of his race
+who had gone before. So far he had never
+stolen poor men's land under the protection of
+the Commons Enclosure Act, or appropriated
+tenants' improvements to his own enrichment.</p>
+<p class="pnext">True, it was a dirty trick he had put his
+hand to—a dirty trick in dirty company—and
+he hated himself for it to the full. But he had
+been a denizen of another world when Ziegler's
+emissary had annexed him, body and soul, as
+plain Charles Hanbury, in the Bowery saloon.
+He remembered that world now with a horror
+and a loathing greater, if possible, than when
+he had endured it—the sordid life in the five-dollar
+boarding-house, the lunch of tough sandwiches
+of Texas beef which had bulged his
+pockets on the way to his duties in the big dry
+goods store, the insolence of his Irish-American
+and German fellow-workers because of his
+English speech. And the haughty salesladies
+who had drawn their skirts from him as they
+squeezed past the tame detective at the time-keeper's
+box—sitting there in the dark muniment
+room, even his present trouble could not
+check a smile at thinking what those damsels
+would have done if told that he had been about
+to become a duke within the month.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Yes, it had been a dirty trick that he had
+undertaken to escape all this, but somehow
+the thing had not seemed so bad when he was
+unacquainted with the persons interested.
+Just as old-time smugglers persuaded themselves
+that there was no dishonesty in defrauding
+the state, so in the same light he had regarded
+the spoliation of a big corporation like
+the Bank of England or the United States
+Treasury, whichever would have been the ultimate
+loser when the lawyers had settled the
+matter. He would never have gone into the
+business, even in his despairing exile, if he had
+not looked upon it as a breach of honesty
+which no single individual would be an appreciable
+loser. He made no excuses for himself
+on this score, but merely analyzed his state of
+mind philosophically, by no means salving his
+conscience because he had dropped the affair
+the moment individualities had become involved,
+or laying claim to any merit for a
+repentance sustained at such imminent peril.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Whatever is the upshot of it all I can never
+be too thankful that I came over in the same
+ship with the Shermans," he muttered, "and
+for being brought up with a round turn by
+the knowledge that the one to bear the brunt
+of my iniquity would have been Leonie's
+father. Why, the excellent Senator might
+have been suspected of having stolen the bonds
+himself. Funny that that view didn't occur to
+me till I knew the people."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The same gratitude had filled his simple soul
+twenty times during the last week, even when
+his enemies had pressed him most sorely; but
+it recurred with redoubled force now that he
+was within sight of the end. By noon on the
+morrow the Senator would have safely housed
+the securities at the Bank, and then his own
+responsibility would cease. Ziegler could kill
+him then, and welcome, if he still thought it
+worth while, though the chief of the organization
+was not, he imagined, the sort of person
+to waste time and energy on a purely sentimental
+revenge. If Ziegler carried on the
+feud after the bonds were safe from him it
+would be, as before, to secure silence about the
+attempt, and he could fling no stigma on the
+family name without divulging details that
+would incriminate his gang. And the family
+name was all that mattered.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir had just rounded off his forecast
+in this satisfactory manner when he was
+suddenly startled back into the present by a
+faint sound far down the corridor on which
+the muniment room abutted. He knew perfectly
+well what the sound was—the "scroop"
+of the spring-driven swivel-roller that automatically
+closed a baize door shutting off the
+servants' premises. He had half risen from
+his chair when another sound—the tinkle of a
+pebble cast against the window from outside—distracted
+his attention; but disregarding it in
+favor of the more pressing emergency, he
+made haste towards the door of the room.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The room was at the extreme end of the
+corridor, looking along it lengthwise, and it
+was not therefore necessary for the Duke to
+disclose himself at the door, which he had purposely
+left partially open, in order to reconnoiter.
+Standing in the darkness a few feet
+from the door, he was able to see who was
+coming, and the sight sent a thrill of despair
+to his heart. All his pleasant anticipations of
+oblivion for his transgression were rudely shattered,
+for the old man who, white-bearded and
+with cat-like tread, came along the passage was
+Ziegler himself. Another figure was dimly
+discerned close behind, but of that the Duke
+took no heed. His eyes were riveted on the
+one in front—on the evil man who had the
+power to change his destiny. There was something
+curiously fantastic, something unreal, in
+the aged miscreant gliding towards him,
+framed in the gaping darkness of the doorway.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The opening into a branch passage, leading
+to another part of the mansion, lay between
+Ziegler and the muniment room, and there was
+a bare chance that he might turn in that direction.
+In reality he had to advance but a few
+steps before the point could be settled, but it
+seemed a whole æon to the Duke, and, to add
+to the tension of his nerves, another pebble
+struck the window. All hope of being able to
+preserve his secret had fled now, and Beaumanoir
+strove to concentrate his reeling brain on
+how best to summon assistance and ward off
+an attack on the safe. If only he knew who
+that was throwing up stones from outside—whether
+friend or foe—he could decide
+whether to run to the window and open it or
+leave it alone. He dared not act in ignorance,
+possibly to admit a third adversary. The
+window was ten feet from the ground, but the
+wall was covered with gnarled ivy stems up
+which an active man could readily climb.</p>
+<p class="pnext">While he was hesitating the matter was arranged
+for him. There was no time to reach
+the window, for Ziegler passed the branch
+corridor without as much as looking at it, and
+was coming straight on to the muniment room.
+Beaumanoir raised his revolver, but lowered it
+again, incapable of shooting a fellow-creature
+in cold blood, and also fascinated by a horrible
+curiosity to learn the intruder's intention. He
+could not as yet be absolutely certain that Ziegler
+knew that the bonds were in the safe. He
+would wait till it was attacked before he made
+a counter-move.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In this mind he slipped behind a huge oak
+press laden with expired leases, and had hardly
+ensconced himself when Ziegler entered the
+room, followed, to Beaumanoir's surprise, by
+a woman, whom he did not recognize, in the
+faint light diffused from the corridor, as Rosa,
+Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's French maid. The
+shadowy figures—that of the frail old man
+and of the trim soubrette—stood motionless
+and silent just within the doorway, evidently
+mastering the landmarks of the room. Then,
+at a whisper from Ziegler, the maid glided
+with a nod of comprehension to the nearest
+window, and was busy with the hasp when the
+rattle of still another pebble on the glass accelerated
+her movements. She swung the casement
+outwards, and in a muffled voice called
+down:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"'Tis ze right room. You are to come oop."</p>
+<p class="pnext">A rustling noise, as of foliage shaken, rising
+from below warned the Duke that if he waited
+longer he might be beset by a horde of assailants.
+It spurred him to instant action. Set in
+the wall close to his place of concealment was
+the switch of the electric light, and stretching
+out his left hand he turned it on, at the same
+time stepping forward and covering Ziegler
+with his pistol. The old man blinked at him in
+the sudden glow, and then, quietly turning,
+shut the door. His object must have been to
+prevent his voice penetrating into the house,
+for he croaked out to the Frenchwoman by the
+window the petulant order:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Tell Benzon to hurry."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The maid, relaxing the venomous glare with
+which she was regarding Beaumanoir, put out
+her head and obeyed. A renewal of the rustling
+and the sound of heavy breathing told her
+that her request had been heard, and drew a
+harsh laugh from Ziegler. Fixing the Duke
+with a cruel gaze, he remarked calmly, in his
+thin falsetto:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The champion safe-cracksman of America
+will be here in a moment. Your Grace will
+have the opportunity of seeing a very pretty
+piece of work if you care to remain till I have
+exchanged this package for the one inside.
+You are not going to be fool enough to use
+that pistol and give yourself away at this stage,
+and if you were, my friend Benzon would be
+equal to the occasion." And holding up the
+parcel of tissue paper which he had received
+from Forsyth in the crypt, he shook it mockingly
+at the Duke.</p>
+<p class="pnext">But in so doing he reckoned literally without
+his host. With a spring that wrenched his
+lame foot painfully Beaumanoir leaped upon
+him, and, crushing the white beard to a throat
+that somehow seemed less scraggy than might
+have been expected, dragged him to the door
+and contrived to get it open with his left hand.
+So struggling, the pair stumbled into the corridor,
+and Beaumanoir was about to shout
+lustily for help, when his voice dwindled into
+a panting:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thank God you've come! I've got this
+one, but there is a woman in there, and—and
+others are coming in through the window."</p>
+<p class="pnext">For in the corridor, hurrying towards him,
+were General Sadgrove, Senator Sherman, and
+Alec Forsyth, each with revolvers in their
+hands, while Sybil Hanbury brought up the
+rear, looking as if she resented that position.
+In the presence of this formidable phalanx
+Beaumanoir felt his captive wilt in his grasp,
+and indeed he himself was swept back by it, still
+holding on, into the muniment room, where
+the woman Rosa was in the act of retreating
+from the window. The General took command
+quite naturally, bidding Forsyth guard
+the door, while he himself advanced to the
+window, very stern and upright, and muttering
+as he went:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What can Azimoolah have been about? He
+must be past his work."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But the words were hardly spoken when the
+subject of his censure leaped in through the
+window, drawing his breath quickly, but not
+otherwise inconvenienced by a limp bundle of
+humanity which he carried over his shoulder,
+and now proceeded to dump like a sack on the
+floor. After securing the window, the Pathan
+turned and gravely saluted the General.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"There were three others, sahib, but they are
+gone," he said simply. "At sight of thy servant
+fear seemed to fall upon them, so that
+they fled across the <em class="italics">maidan</em> like deer flushed by
+a cheetah. But this one was already climbed
+nigh to the window, so I followed, and choking
+him a little, brought him in." And with his
+foot he slightly spurned the motionless form
+of his prisoner, whom the Duke and Forsyth
+recognized as the hero of the watch-spring saw
+who had been surprised cutting out the panel
+at Beaumanoir House a week before.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Choked him a little!" said the General with
+a grim chuckle. "You don't seem to have left
+much life in him, but it was no case for standing
+on ceremony. And now, madam," continued
+the veteran, facing round to where
+Beaumanoir stood with his grip on Ziegler's
+collar, "your disguise need hamper you no
+longer—that is, if you prefer to finish this
+business in your own person. Get the pull of
+your sex, you know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, I guess that wig doesn't do justice to
+Cora Lestrade," interjected Senator Sherman,
+and with a dexterous twirl of his wrist he
+jerked off the elaborate head-gear which had
+effectually transformed the dashing lady
+known as Mrs. Talmage Eglinton into a repulsive
+old man. But it was only when feminine
+instinct had prompted her with a swift
+application of her handkerchief to remove the
+purple stain that had added the semblance of
+disease to old age that the Duke recognized his
+guest.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I do not understand," he murmured,
+feebly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">And it seemed that Alec Forsyth, in spite of
+the part entrusted to him in the comedy of
+the crypt, had been ignorant of the identity
+of his antagonist, for a cry of astonishment
+escaped him. On the other hand, the demure
+smile that played round Sybil Hanbury's
+pretty mouth betokened a closer intimacy with
+the foregoings of this wonderful development.
+Forsyth's sharp exclamation had the effect of
+rousing Azimoolah's captive from his swoon.
+The man raised himself on his elbow, and,
+grasping the situation, remained quietly
+watchful.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"And now, your Grace, before another word
+is said, let me shake you by the hand right here,
+and thank you for all the patient courage you
+have shown and all the danger you have incurred
+to baffle as waspish a gang as ever
+hailed from my side of the ditch," said the
+Senator, suiting the action to the word, greatly
+to the embarrassment of the Duke, and provoking
+a scornful laugh from the fantastic
+figure in male attire.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Why, he was one of us," she sneered. "It
+was only when he found he had something to
+lose that he backed out."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Senator looked her up and down with a
+fine contempt.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"So much for a great reputation," he said.
+"My good Lestrade, the warders who told me
+you were the cleverest woman in Sing-Sing
+must have made a grievous error, for a really
+clever criminal would never have been cornered
+by a brave man pretending to join the confederacy.
+The Duke has not tripped once all
+through the affair, except that he has been a
+little too reckless in exposing his valuable life
+to peril. The result of his heroic conduct is
+that you are outwitted all along the line, and
+that the three millions are secure in that safe."</p>
+<p class="pnext">This misdescription of the case, so adroitly
+near the mark and yet differing from the
+truth in the all-important word "<em class="italics">pretending</em>,"
+made the Duke catch his breath. Somehow
+the matter which he had believed himself to be
+working single-handed seemed to have been
+taken out of his shaky grasp, and, shamed by
+the unmerited praise, he waited for the rejoinder
+of the adventuress. It came crisp and
+sharp.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then what you have to do is to call in the
+police and hand us over to justice," she said
+defiantly. "The authorities will be puzzled to
+find a reason for all you worthy amateurs bottling
+up your knowledge of a crime that would
+have shaken two continents. I think I shall
+be able to instruct my counsel so that by the
+time he has done with him his Grace won't be
+much of a hero."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Senator smiled superior.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Ah!" he retorted, pleasantly; "you might
+have tried that if you had had the chance. But
+then, you see, you won't have it. I'm only a
+visitor here—like yourself, his Grace's guest—but
+I believe the intention is that you and your
+friend, who really need not scowl so, are not to
+face a judge this time. General Sadgrove has
+charge of what we may call the liberation department,
+and he will enlighten you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The man Benzon, lying propped on his elbow,
+with Azimoolah standing over him
+statuesquely menacing, shot a sly glance of
+triumph at his confederate, but it met with
+only a sickly smile for a response. Lestrade's
+eyes turned with shrinking expectancy to the
+General, her insolent demeanor having vanished,
+strangely enough, at the hint that she
+would not be detained.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, there will be no prosecution," the General
+said, sternly. "The Duke took the onus
+of defeating your aims upon him before he was
+called to his present high station, and his
+friends are unanimous that he ought not to
+pursue the matter now. You, Madame Lestrade,
+will be allowed to depart early to-morrow
+morning in the name you have chosen to assume;
+and you, sir, can go at once by the way
+you came—through the window."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The man Benzon rose to his feet with alacrity, trying vainly to catch the eye of his
+accomplice, and shooting furtive glances at
+the package which she still carried. There was
+evidently something that he did not understand,
+and wanted to before he availed himself
+of the unexpected permission. There came a
+curious gleam into the General's eyes as he
+noticed this perplexity, and when he took up
+his parable again there was a ring in his voice
+that chained his hearers' attention. Sybil, too,
+leaned forward, watching the two bond-robbers
+alternately, as though expecting a surprise for
+them.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Before you go I will explain what is puzzling
+you," the General went on, addressing
+himself to Benzon, and pointing to the dummy
+package in Cora Lestrade's hand. "You are
+under the impression that those are the bonds,
+and you are half inclined to think that we are
+letting you go in ignorance of what you believe
+to be the case—that the genuine bonds were
+handed to that lady in the crypt by the Duke.
+Know, then, that the Duke wasn't in the crypt
+at all, nor were any bonds handed over. His
+Grace's place was taken by Mr. Forsyth there,
+who succeeded in getting from her the spurious
+bonds and handed her in return a lot of blank
+paper. See—examine it for yourself."</p>
+<p class="pnext">And quickly possessing himself of the parcel,
+he held it for inspection. A spasm crossed
+Benzon's sinister face, and there escaped him
+the involuntary cry:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But you looked at the things, Cora, and
+pronounced them correct. You said we were
+only coming here for the heirlooms in the safe;
+yet you must have known."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Quite so," the General proceeded, disregarding
+a smothered remark from the female
+culprit. "She knew that she had been hoodwinked,
+because she recognized my nephew
+under his disguise, and so at once examined the
+parcel. Thereupon she deceived you and her
+other associates for a private reason that had
+nothing to do with the interests of your
+precious combination. Like to hear what that
+reason was?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">Benzon flung a reproachful, half-imploring
+look at his strangely garbed chief, as though
+seeking for a denial from her, but failing to
+catch her downcast eye, he gave a sullen assent
+to the question.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Very well," the General went on, inexorably.
+"She withheld her confidence from her
+colleagues because she desired to save the life
+of Mr. Forsyth from the murderous vengeance
+of you gentlemen who are so handy with charcoal
+braziers and railway accidents. So she
+made a last desperate effort to obtain the bonds
+by persuading you to break into the safe under
+a false pretext—used you as tools, do you
+understand?—to repair her own breach of faith
+to you without having to confess it. Her idea
+was doomed to failure, anyway, for, apart
+from his Grace's vigilance, she was effectually
+watched by Miss Hanbury from the moment
+of her readmission into the house by that
+Frenchwoman. When 'Mrs. Talmage Eglinton',"—with
+a fine scorn on the name—"crept
+out dressed like that, we wanted to see whether
+she would go straight to her room when she
+came back, don't you know."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He paused, but not with an air of finality.
+No one had ever suspected Jem Sadgrove in
+the old days of an eye for dramatic effect. He
+must have been coached by somebody into leading
+up to the question now to be put with fierce
+insistence by the saturnine Benzon, and, to
+judge by the eager interest in Sybil's dilated
+eyes, that young lady had been the coach.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Why should Cora Lestrade want to spare
+Mr. Forsyth?" asked the man, taking a step
+forward, to be instantly reminded of his position
+by the lean brown hand of Azimoolah falling
+like a vise on his shoulder. The Pathan
+evidently cherished a lingering hope that there
+might yet arise a pretext for treating "the black
+tribe" in the old way.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Because, sir, a woman can't help herself in
+matters of the heart, and even the worst of 'em
+is capable of an unselfish attachment," the
+General replied, with slow emphasis. But he
+hastened to add, as if eager to disavow responsibility
+for the introduction of sentiment: "At
+least, so I was advised. The little scheme for
+obtaining the sham securities was based on the
+supposition that this woman had a liking for
+Mr. Forsyth, and would do him no hurt if she
+recognized him. That forecast has turned out
+to be well founded."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Uncle Jem!" Forsyth protested, flushing
+hotly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, laddie, I know you would not have
+taken the job on if I had informed you who
+Ziegler was," said the General. "There would
+have been less to fear, but there would have
+been a dash of the underhand about it that
+wouldn't have suited you. But I should never
+have allowed you to walk into such a death-trap
+as that crypt would have been without the safeguard
+we—that is, I—trusted to. It wasn't a
+case for being too nice. There's no such thing
+as taking a mean advantage of people threatening
+life and property, they told me when I was
+taught my trade."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The man Benzon, who had kept his gaze
+fixed on the face of Cora Lestrade, removed
+it now, and, with a cool politeness that struck
+an unaccountable chill to most of his hearers,
+thanked the General for enlightening him on
+"a point of considerable importance," and
+begged permission to depart if he was really
+not to be detained. At a sign from his master
+Azimoolah stood aside, and the man swung
+himself out of the window, gained a foothold
+on the ivy stems, and was gone. When they
+had all turned away from the darkling face
+framed for a moment among the creepers, it
+was seen that she who had loomed so largely in
+their lives of late as "Mr. Clinton Ziegler" and
+"Mrs. Talmage Eglinton" was swaying and
+about to fall.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Thank you," she said, recovering herself
+with a painful effort as Senator Sherman, who
+happened to be nearest, came to her assistance.
+"It was only a passing weakness, but I shall
+be glad if I may go to my room."</p>
+<p class="pnext">And with a flicker of the old impudence she
+mimicked General Sadgrove:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Even the worst of 'em is capable of feeling
+shaken on hearing sentence of death pronounced,"
+adding, with a swift change of manner,
+"and that is what I have heard in this room
+to-night."</p>
+<p class="pnext">But in the morning, when, with the Frenchwoman
+Rosa, she took her departure by a train
+leaving so early that none of the house-party
+were visible, it was observed by the servants
+that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton was in the highest
+spirits, and, if possible, more stylishly appareled
+than usual. And Mr. Manson, the
+butler, looking regretfully after the station
+brougham as it drove away, murmured benedictions,
+having palmed the largest tip that had
+come his way in a quarter of a century.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"A thorough lady," he sighed, as he closed
+the hall door and went in to preside at the
+breakfast sideboard. "Pity she was called
+away unexpected."</p>
+</div>
+<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxithe-honor-of-the-house">
+<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref pginternal" href="#id22">CHAPTER XXI—<em class="italics">The Honor of the House</em></a></h2>
+<p class="pfirst">The Treasury bonds had reached their goal
+in the vaults of the Bank of England, and
+Senator Sherman, having duly discharged his
+duty to his Republic, was speeding back to his
+wife and daughter at Prior's Tarrant, with, as
+he quaintly phrased it, "a considerable load off
+his chest." In the reserved compartment with
+him were the Duke of Beaumanoir and General
+Sadgrove, who had insisted on forming an
+escort.</p>
+<p class="pnext">The Duke, who had been buoyed up with
+excitement till the bonds were safe in the bank,
+had fallen into dejection on the return journey.
+His two companions persisted in treating him
+as a hero, whereas he guessed that they were
+both aware of the true state of the case. He
+knew that one of them was, for he had himself,
+under threat of information being given to the
+police, confessed everything to the General
+after the latter's visit to the hotel on the day
+of "Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's" supposed confinement to her room; and, at any rate, the Senator
+must have heard something of the truth,
+or he would not have been prepared the night
+before to confound Cora Lestrade's correct accusation
+with a generous but entirely erroneous
+construction of his complicity.</p>
+<p class="pnext">All this made Beaumanoir miserable and
+ill at ease, the more so that he had three times
+attempted, without success, to terminate his
+false position. The two gentlemen had evidently
+entered into a friendly conspiracy to
+maintain their own reading of his conduct; and
+whenever he began to make penitential allusions
+to it, one or other of them would, so to
+speak, jump down his throat with an encomium
+on the motive they chose to attribute to him for
+originally allying himself to the Lestrade
+combination. Nor did it add to his comfort on
+the last of these occasions to catch the Senator
+deliberately winking at the General.</p>
+<p class="pnext">Now this was exasperating in the present
+and intolerable for the future, for Beaumanoir
+had set his heart on that to which, conscience
+told him, a clear understanding with Senator
+Sherman was essential. But at last he abandoned
+direct efforts and sank back in his corner, hoping to obtain an opening by more
+diplomatic methods presently.</p>
+<p class="pnext">In the meanwhile, the General was satisfying
+the curiosity of the Senator, and incidentally
+that of the Duke, as to the identification
+of the self-styled Mrs. Talmage Eglinton
+with the mysterious Clinton Ziegler. He described
+the tangle of doubt and surmise he had
+got into when he had convinced himself that
+the occupants of the neighboring suites at the
+hotel were both concerned in the plot against
+the bonds, without being able to carry the matter
+further. And especially did he lay stress
+on the deadlock that had been reached when
+"Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's" artfully concocted
+anonymous warning against "Ziegler" had
+caused him to waver in his suspicions of her
+guilt.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It took a woman to nose that out," said the
+General, with a whimsical grimace. "Miss
+Sybil heard me grumbling—unfortunate habit,
+talking to one's self—and put me right in a
+brace of shakes. 'Why,' she snaps out, after
+she'd pumped me about my difficulty, 'they
+must be one and the same person. Mrs. Talmage
+Eglinton <em class="italics">is</em> Ziegler, and her intention is
+that after they've finished the business the Eglinton part of her will remain and the Ziegler
+part will vanish—with the odium of anything
+that may happen, don't you see. I didn't see
+it at once, but consented to lay a trap, and
+blessed if the girl wasn't right. Soon as the
+Eglinton was posted up by Sybil that I was
+going up next day to call on Ziegler at the
+hotel, and that I was going to raise Cain if I
+wasn't admitted, she shammed sick and
+sneaked out of the house, with old Azimoolah
+at her heels, to keep the appointment."</p>
+<p class="pnext">He went on to tell how his call on "Ziegler,"
+followed by "Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's" clandestine
+return to the house as witnessed by
+Alec Forsyth, had brushed all doubts aside and
+cleared the way for the final <em class="italics">coup</em> in the crypt,
+again suggested by Sybil, for obtaining the
+bogus bonds and so drawing the sting of the
+enemy.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"The girl has got grit," was the Senator's
+admiring comment. "The right sort of grit,
+because she trusted to her man having it too.
+And, thunder, but it was plucky of him to
+face that crew in ignorance of the saving clause
+in his favor."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, the boy behaved well," the General
+admitted. "But I think the Duke beat him for
+courage in going to meet you at Liverpool in
+ignorance that we had drawn off the cut-throats
+who he had reason to believe would dog
+him directly he left the house. Alec had to
+make up for a bad lapse. We never allowed
+laxity in our service, and Alec was lax, very
+lax, in giving them that chance on the railway."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Beaumanoir sat up at this, and, leaning forward,
+tapped the General on the knee.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Oblige me by not drawing comparisons,"
+he said—for him—quite fiercely. "If I have
+come out of the ordeal of the last few days
+unscathed, and with the honor of my house
+untarnished, it is in great part due to Alec's
+loyalty to a poor weak coward. Had I done
+my duty I should have gone to the police the
+moment Lestrade unfolded her plot, instead of
+embarking on a course of secrecy and moral
+cowardice which kept alive the danger to Senator
+Sherman and his charge. I did not see
+it at the time, but the gang would assuredly
+have matured some other plan for trying for
+the plunder, using some other wretched tool,
+perhaps, if they hadn't been gammoned into
+believing that I had caved in. It was gross
+moral cowardice of me to give them the
+chance."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The torrent of words flowed so quickly that
+neither of his hearers was able to check it, and
+it was so evidently the outcome of deep emotion
+that it was equally impossible to ignore it.
+The Senator, with a twinkle in his shrewd gray
+eyes, laid a warning hand on the General's
+shoulder and took it upon himself to answer—with
+a question which had the instant effect
+of soothing Beaumanoir, for it implied a concession
+of the position he desired to take up.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"What should you have done in the same circumstances,
+but with this difference—that you
+had landed in England a simple commoner instead
+of the representative of an ancient and
+noble family?" the Senator inquired.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Informed the authorities, of course," the
+Duke replied without hesitation.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Good! Then assuming for the sake of argument
+your charge against yourself to be
+correct, you incurred a mortal peril voluntarily,
+not from personal considerations affecting
+yourself, but for fear of involving other people—most
+of them dead, by the way—in disgrace.
+I don't see how you can make moral cowardice
+out of that."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">I</em> do," said Beaumanoir, bluntly.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"But," proceeded the Senator, with bland
+insistence, "you might have avoided the peril
+to your own life and the besmirching of the
+family name by the simple expedient of carrying
+out the behests of Ziegler and Company.
+You had every facility for pulling the job off
+without a breath of suspicion ever touching
+you."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The diplomatic opening, the psychological
+moment, for which poor, blundering Beaumanoir
+had been hoping, had arrived. It would
+be uncharitable to suggest that it was proffered
+to him, as a card is "forced," by an American
+gentleman with a taste for strawberry leaves;
+but be it as it may, Beaumanoir was not too
+dull to seize his chance.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I might have done that—I was tempted
+to," he blurted out. "In fact, I believe I
+should have done it if—if I hadn't come over
+in the same ship with your—with Mrs. and
+Miss Sherman."</p>
+<p class="pnext">The General, sitting up stiffly with his chin
+on the knob of his malacca cane, turned his
+head sharply to hear his old friend's judgment
+on this amazing confession. It was pronounced
+with Trans-Atlantic briskness.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Then, sir, by token of that frankness, your
+Grace is a straight man," the Senator said,
+decidedly, and with an air that invested his
+words with greater weight than was perhaps
+due to their moral perspective. "And," he
+added in a lighter vein, "somehow, the honor
+of your house seems to have got inextricably
+mixed with that of mine."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"That's exactly the way I hoped you'd look
+at it," responded the Duke, earnestly. "I
+think you take my meaning. May I speak to
+Leonie?"</p>
+<p class="pnext">"It's what I should do in your place," was
+the Senator's reply—a reply which had the
+effect of relaxing General Sadgrove's ramrod-like
+attitude, and of causing that grim
+man-hunter to subside into his corner, with a
+not unkindly chuckle.</p>
+<hr class="docutils"/>
+<p class="pfirst">On a winter afternoon, six months afterwards,
+Alec Forsyth entered the firelit dining-room
+of the Prior's Tarrant dower-house,
+which, as agent of the ducal estates, he had
+occupied since his marriage in September.
+The Duke and Duchess were away in Egypt
+on their honeymoon, and Forsyth had been
+doing the honors of a big shoot in the home
+coverts to a party of neighboring country gentlemen.
+Sybil, who had been sitting in a low
+chair by the hearth, rose and drew him to the
+blaze, first relieving him of his gun.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"I won't light the lamp yet, dear," she said.
+"I am forced to refer to the forbidden subject,
+and you may want to blush."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Forbidden subject?" said Forsyth, not for
+the moment comprehending.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Well, of course you haven't taken to forbidding
+me anything yet; perhaps 'tacitly
+avoided' would be a better phrase," the young
+wife replied, perching herself on the arm of
+her husband's chair. "I refer to that poor
+creature whose one redeeming point was, as the
+dear General put it on that eventful night, an
+unselfish attachment to your noble self."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth had never been able to bring himself
+to talk of the reason of his uncle's confidence
+in his safety in the crypt that night, when
+he had lent himself to a ruse which he had believed
+meant death if he was recognized. He
+had loathed "Mrs. Talmage Eglinton's" obtrusive
+admiration long before he had entered
+the lists against her, and it was from a knowledge
+of his feelings that the General had
+abstained from informing him beforehand of
+the terrible Ziegler's identity, guessing that his
+natural delicacy would have prevented him
+from turning to account a sentimental weakness
+so necessary to a successful issue, yet so
+revolting to his modesty.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Must you really refer to that wretched
+woman?" he asked, as soon as he saw Sybil's
+meaning.</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Only to tell you that she is dead," was the
+reply. "It is in the <em class="italics">Standard</em>, which came
+after you had left for the coverts. There, I
+must light the lamp, after all, so that you may
+read it yourself."</p>
+<p class="pnext">When the lamp shone out on the pleasant,
+homelike room, this was the paragraph which
+Forsyth read:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"On the arrival at Vienna of the through
+mail train from Budapest on Thursday night
+a fashionably dressed female was found alone
+in a first-class compartment, stabbed to the
+heart. The police inquiries have established
+her identity as Cora Lestrade, a notorious
+American ex-convict, who is believed to have
+practised on the credulity of highly placed
+personages in nearly every European capital.
+At the time of her death she was traveling as
+the Countess Poniatowski. A man who was in
+another compartment of the train, dressed as
+a Roman priest, but who is supposed to be one
+of the band of professional criminals ruled by
+this extraordinary woman, has been arrested in
+connection with the occurrence."</p>
+<p class="pnext">Forsyth laid the paper down—Sybil told
+him a month later that it was "with a sigh of
+relief"—and said:</p>
+<p class="pnext">"She seemed to expect something of the sort
+when she spoke about her death sentence and
+showed such fear of the man Benzon. But
+isn't Uncle Jem's intuition marvelous? He
+has always held that the confederacy would
+come to loggerheads and be no longer dangerous
+after our victorious tussle with them."</p>
+<p class="pnext">"Yes, dear," Sybil assented, dutifully.
+"Your uncle is a very remarkable man, with
+very remarkable gifts." But she did not add, as
+she might have added had she so chosen, that it
+had required a woman's knowledge of woman's
+heart to inspire in the General the insight
+which had steered the Duke's storm-tossed
+bark to harbor.</p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 5em">
+</div>
+<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 37413 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
author	nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>	2025-03-03 05:17:53 -0800
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